Sins of the Father
by dividetheSKYLIGHT
Summary: Some things in life are not meant to be walked alone. And sometimes, when you refuse to make a choice, you all ready have made a choice. Sadly, he learned both of those things AFTER she was long gone.
1. Chapter One

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

_**Beginning Note: **_I just wanted to take the time to state that, regardless of what my profile says, this is not my first fic. I left the HP archives a few years ago, because it was polluted with Mary Sue characters, and I couldn't stand it. But, since DH Part 1 is coming out soon, I got back into the swing of the characters in my head and created this little fun story. Regardless of my own original character, I am planning on focusing my attention on Draco's character. In case you were wondering, this takes place through HPB. I hope you enjoy it, as this is probably going to be one of my favorite HP fics to write. I'm all ready planning a sequel, depending on how well this fic is recieved, since I'm going to leave the ending, well, open. :)

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

_**Sins of the Father; Part One**_

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

She could remember the exact moment she first met him. It was not a romantic meeting by any sort of stretch of the imagination, but it was one she would remember for years to come, because it was different. _He_ was different.

_It was his third year, making it her second, and she knew _of_ him, but hadn't had the lovely chance to meet him properly, despite their parents' cordial knowledge of each other, both families being pure-blood and rather high in wealth. She was on her way to Charms class, walking happily with a girl she'd met on the train who called herself Adalia, a fellow Slytherin._

_She hadn't been watching when she was going, of course, laughing and talking with her friend, when she collided fiercely with a sturdy wall. Luxy _humph_'ed in surprise, gripping her books to her chest a bit tighter, and then glared at the offending wall, only to find it was a howling boy who was gripping his arm. Her eyes flashed._

_"Walk much, git?" she spat the words, annoyed, because now she was going to be late._

_The Howler quit howling and glared right back at her, letting his arm go, which moments ago had been in 'pain'. "You don't even know who I am, little girl," he retorted. "Watch who you talk to. I'm a Malfoy."_

_Luxy snorted. "I'm well aware of who your affiliations are with, Mister Git."_

_An impish, pug-faced girl with dark bob haircut stepped up and got in Luxy's face. Luxy debated whether or not she was going to punch the little pug in the nose for invading her space. "Get out of our way. Draco is hurt," she said scathingly. "Unless you'd wish to follow us to the infirmary after I'm through with you."_

_She whipped her wand out and pointed it in Luxy's face, right under her chin, but Luxy smirked. "Sod off, git-ette. I just don't like being run into," she said and directed another glare to this Draco person, who had resumed clutching his arm in pain. What a hopeless fool._

_"Come on, Pansy, My arm hurts. Let's leave the little firsties alone," the Draco person said in a derogatory way, directing his own cruel look to her, before 'Pansy' pulled Draco along towards the hospital wing._

_"I cannot believe you just back-talked to Draco Malfoy _and_ Pansy Parkinson!" Adalia exclaimed as they continued on down the hallway. "You should have hex him for calling us firsties."_

_Luxy shrugged. "Not my fault Malfoy can't walk and that Parkinson girl doesn't know when to back off. And let him think what he wants. Doesn't everyone do that?"_

Not the sweetest meeting in the entire Wizarding World, but Luxy always smiled and teased Draco about his arrogance whenever she thought about it. It was her fifth year now, and Luxy was excited. She enjoyed school, though not as much as Granger of course, but she still enjoyed it. Charms was consistently her favorite class, as she was the sharpest at it and Potions was pretty simple, seeing as Snape favored every single Slytherin, but she refused to take Divination because it simply bored her to tears, no matter how many times her father implored her to try new things. She smiled slightly and picked up her pace to the Great Hall for dinner, and her stomach growled in response to her thoughts.

She pasted on a rather Malfoy-like smirk and entered the Great Hall, waving jovially towards a group of Ravenclaw girls, of whom she got along with rather well. Adalia stood up from her seat and came to embrace Luxy, causing Luxy to grin and embrace her friend in return.

Luxy sat down at the empty seat next to her friend, and chatted animatedly with her about the excitement of the new school year. She could nearly feel Parkinson's sneering across the table at her and when she finally looked up, Parkinson wore a feral little grin that Luxy likened to that of a scowling gargoyle, and she grinned a bit in spite of herself, having amused herself without meaning to.

"You were almost late for dinner, Listin. Why's that?" Parkinson sneered, folding her arms on the table.

Luxy blinked and lifted her head slowly. "I was busy," she said simply, and then continued eating.

Adalia elbowed her in the side and they shared a secret grin. Parkinson was not amused, and her cheeks flushed red with annoyance. "I'm a prefect, Luxy Listin. Tell me where you were!" she demanded, as if her prefect status meant anything. All she did was use it for her own gain – which wasn't a far stretch for the self-righteous Slytherins – but still.

"I'm sorry, but I was under the impression that you were simply a prefect, not my bloody keeper, so why don't you just sod off and mind your own business, eh, Parkinson?" Luxy suggested in a sweet voice, her temper was rearing its ugly head inside her chest. She gave Malfoy a reproachful look when he smirked at her, having had his chin in his hand, sporting a rather un-Malfoy-like brooding expression.

"Besides," Luxy continued, "Since when do you ever get in the case of someone in your own House? Stick to pissing around the Gryffindors, would you?"

"Luxy Listin, hold your tongue for once in your life!" Millicent Bulstrode exclaimed, causing a few of Parkinsons' croonies to stare at her in surprise. She smiled demurely and looked down.

"Wow, Millie, that's the most kind thing you've said to me since we boarded at King's Cross," Luxy teased her fellow Housemate. "You must be feeling generous."

Millicent almost glared at her, and then huffed. Luxy shrugged and then went back to her dinner, smiling in spite of herself the whole time, while Adalia snickered every so often. Parkingson moved on quickly, of course, eager to divide her time gossiping with her horde of girls or simpering over Malfoy's arm like a buffoon, which made Luxy contemplate stuffing a dinner roll in her mouth to see if that would finally shut her up.

Luxy finished her food easily and took her last gulp of pumpkin juice as Dumbledore got up to give his Welcome Back speech, which was rather morbid, and then dismissed them for bed. She tipped an imaginary hat to Adalia, before waltzing off out of the Great Hall, twirling her wand around in her fingers, little sparks of silver and green crackling from it. She stopped in the hallway – causing the students that had been trailing her to mutter in annoyance and walk around her, stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled one, high, sharp note. A few moments later, a small black kitten came scampering towards Luxy, weaving around students, his head held high with a sort of arrogance that seemed to suit his personality.

"Where have you been, Echo? I've been looking for you since we got off the train," Luxy told her friend, picking her kitten up from the cold floor. Echo squirmed until Luxy relented and put him back on the floor, allowing him to walk beside her like he wanted as she headed towards the dungeons with the other Slytherins.

She stopped outside the commons and folded her arms, searching the sneering Slytherin faces that passed by her. Echo bounded along happily, trotting inside with the others, as if he were a student himself. Luxy forced her mouth into a grimace when Pansy and her cohorts stalked past her, Pansy's shoulder bumping into her's rather hard. Luxy growled, resisting the urge to whip out her wand and make the bitch pay for what she did, but she finally noticed him. He stalked behind them all, having looked rather sharp in a black suit on the train, though now he was wearing his robes, but his head was down.

Odd.

Draco looked up slowly, drinking in the face of the girl that was waiting for him outside the dungeons, arms folded over her chest. Luxy Listin. Her mother, he knew, had a fondness for poetry, so she gave her only daughter a silly name that began with all L's. Draco had once teased her about it, when they were younger: _"What sort of name is Luxy?"_ He stopped in front of her and peered into her murky gray-green eyes, and she waited for his next move. He gave a small puff of air that was probably a sigh (except Malfoy's do not sigh) and then tossed his head in the direction of the corridor, indicating she should follow him.

They walked together down the corridor together slowly, rounding the corner when they reached it and continuing on down, both pairs of feet padding quietly against the stone.

"You going to tell me what you've gotten up to this summer?" Luxy asked, a bit hopefully, and Draco slanted her a look that gave her her answer. She sighed and then grabbed his hand, forcing him to stop. "Why didn't you get off the train this evening with the rest of them? I didn't see you with Pansy," she said quietly, peering up at him suspiciously. "And, come to think of it, Potter's nose was all bloodied when he came into the Great Hall, late. Any idea what that was from, Malfoy?"

"Luxy, I hate it when you call me Malfoy, so just sod off," Draco snapped and she leaned back on her heels, folding her arms again, giving him a hard look. "All right, Lux, look. I have this... _thing_... I have to do this year. I'm not going to tell you what it is, so you can quit batting your eyelashes like that at me; it's not going to work this time."

"So this _thing_ of yours is important, yeah? Something major and your life rests on it, yeah?" she asked, staring up at him again, a bit impassive.

Draco paused for a moment, staring down at her. Did she know? Had he actually, for once, underestimated Luxy Listin? "Yeah, it is rather important."

She smiled slightly. "Well, at least I know you're up to something, just in case you start buckling under the pressure. I know you too well, Draco. You jump in with both feet and it's going to be your undoing. I mean, I'm sure you'll be brilliant; you're a bloody Malfoy," she teased him.

He stood a bit straighter and grinned at her, the first genuine thing he'd done in a long time. "Bloody right I'm a Malfoy, little girl. Don't forget it."

He gasped slightly, only slightly, when she thrust herself forward and hugged him tightly. Why was she always doing things he didn't anticipate? She continued to hug him until he relented and hugged her back, leaning down slightly to rest his cheek on her head, the soft tousled curls of her hair tickling his nose.

"Draco, you do know that I'm here for you, correct? We're friends," she stated firmly, hugging a bit tighter to make a point. "If things become too hard with this thing, Draco, I will always be here. I know you don't really do friendship, because it gets in the way of things, but regardless of what you or anyone says, I am your friend."

Draco sighed. Stupid girl. She didn't know what she was promising. Helping a Death Eater? Not likely. She hated the Death Eaters, what they stood for, and how they used terror to control everything. She wouldn't help him, when she figured out what was really going on. Luxy would hate him, but for right now, holding her in the cold corridor of the Slytherin dungeons, Draco Malfoy allowed even himself to be fooled into thinking that Luxy wouldn't hate him in the end. He ran a hand over her dark hair, his arm curling around her waist, holding her to him. She was an anchor. An anchor in a raging storm, and he clung to her for dear life. And he would continue to cling to her until she figured out the truth.

"Yeah, Lux, I know you are. We're friends, and I would never do anything to hurt you," he lied.

* * *

_Ending Note: Hope you've enjoyed! And I ugre you to keep me in line with Draco's character. I'm trying to follow what JKR had intended for him to be, plus adding a few things of my own, since we can't really go off of Harry's interpretation of Malfoy, can we? :)_

_- skylight; 10.21.10_


	2. Chapter Two

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

_**Sins of the Father; Part One**_

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

"LUXY LORELAI LISTIN! GET THE BLOODY HELL UP RIGHT NOW!" a voice shouted in an amplified way, like a Howler.

"Piss off, I'm asleep!" Luxy shouted back, pulling the blankets over her head.

She waited, eyes closed for a moment. She heard a muttered spell and then the blanket was wrenched off her body so fast, sending a rush of cold air to her skin. "Luxy, there's fifteen minutes until breakfast! You have to get up!" Adalia leaned down in close to her friends' ear. "Besides, don't you want to walk with lover boy?"

Luxy groaned and then sat up, rubbing her eyes slowly. "Adalia, Draco is probably heading to breakfast with Pansy or something," she muttered and then rolled her eyes.

_"'Draco'?"_ Adalia repeated, and then laughed. "Oh, my Luxy, you have gotten in much too deep. When do you ever call him 'Draco'?"

Luxy growled. "_Malfoy_. I meant Malfoy," she snapped and then stood up, retrieving her wand from under her mattress. _"Accio robes!"_ she muttered with a flick of her wand.

She changed quickly into her uniform, pulled on the strange, rusting skeleton key necklace she found in Diagon Alley once when she was small, stuck her willow wand into the side of her boot and then hurried to catch up with Adalia on the way to the Great Hall. Technically, she wasn't supposed to wear her boots with her uniform, but they didn't make her stand out and the teachers either ignored her blatant disregard of the rules, or didn't notice.

Luxy liked to think she was being rather Slytherin by wearing boots instead of those horrid grandmother shoes the dress code demanded.

She sat down with Adalia, looking up when the flurry of owls were heard overhead. She spotted her owl almost instantly and watched him swoop down to give her the crisp envelope that was clutched tightly in his talons.

"Post from your family all ready?" Adalia asked, seeing the Listin crest pressed in red wax to hold the envelope shut.

Shrugging, Luxy broke the seal and read the letter that was addressed to her:

_Darling Luxy,_

_Hope you have a fine time your first day of school. Just thought I would owl you to let you know that your mother is all ready planning a Christmas ball here at the Estate. I'm sure we'll have many parties to attend, you know how your mother gets._

_However, I actually owled you because I believe your mother is up to something dark. Again. I've told her time and time again that I will not keep moving to hide from the Ministry's retribution, but you know how your mother only ever does what she wishes to, which is so like you, my dear. I only wished you to be aware of the goings on here, because I refuse to allow you to be in the dark where your family is concerned._

_Hope you have a lovely year at Hogwarts, regardless, and do not hesitate to tell me owl about it when you get the chance! I love you very much, Luxy._

_Love,_

_Your father_

"Wow, Listin, I wasn't aware that a person could make so many faces from a simple letter!" Pansy crowed and Luxy looked up, having not realized she'd been making faces.

It was rather sweet of her father, really. He didn't have to owl her, yet he did. It was much better than her wretch of the mother would do, that's for damn sure.

"Sod off, Pansy. So she got post. What's it to you?" Draco snapped at her, and Pansy bowed under the weight of his annoyance, just like she always did. Luxy almost excused herself to go be sick outside.

As quickly as the feelings of happiness came from receiving word from her father, they disbanded quickly under Luxy's own thoughts. She and Draco were much more alike then they both probably liked to think. Luxy's mother, Nathalie Listin, was not a maternal figure. In fact, Luxy much preferred the company of Draco's mother to substitute her own mother's company. At least Narcissa Malfoy cared for her family.

"I think I'm hanging breakfast, Dal," Luxy muttered to her friend and then stood up and left the Great Hall without looking up.

She leaned her head against the cool glass of the window nearby and debated crying, though she banished the thought immediately. Crying was for Hufflepuffs. Crying was for weak-minded gits that couldn't control their emotions.

Crying was not an option, she decided.

But she was overwhelmed. Her mother was up to something dark? Wasn't she always? That Merlin-damned Bellatrix Lestrange, imprisioned for helping the Dark Lord, came round often during the summer and she and Nathalie would scurry off and speak privately.

Luxy was not a fool. Her mother was a Death Eater, or at least a very close follower of the Dark Lord, but Luxy refused to partake in anything related to that. It had divided their family ever since she found out about it, and she refused to be part of something that hurt other people. Slytherin or not, she didn't like causing pain to those who didn't deserve it.

"Luxy, if you're pissed about what Pansy said, then you should know that–"

Luxy straightened up and glared at Draco. "I am not pissed about what Pansy said, _Malfoy_. I couldn't care less what she says. It's all rubbish anyhow."

Draco's eyes hardened into freshly frozen ice. "Quit calling me Malfoy, _Listin_."

Luxy rolled her eyes. "I'll call you whatever I like, _Malfoy_. No go run along to your little girlfriend. I didn't ask for you to come speak to me."

She attempted to brush past him, but he gripped her elbow tightly, causing her to almost dance backwards in shock from his sudden grip. Luxy lifted her eyes to his, her eyebrows raised.

"Got something to say?" she asked, a thread a steel underlining her words.

"Don't you dare shut me out, Luxy Listin. I know you; I know what you do. Quit it," he ordered, and her anger flared inside of her. She ripped her elbow from his grip and glared sharp daggers at him.

"Come off it, Malfoy! There are things about me that even _you_ couldn't handle. Why can't you just leave well enough alone?" Luxy suggested. She didn't like arguing with him, but it wasn't in her nature to back down from a fight.

"Lux, I know your mother is a Death Eater."

Luxy Lorelai Listin saw red.

She shoved him against the cold stone wall, her forearm holding him against it and she pressed the tip of her wand against the hollow of his throat, glaring up at him, only he glared right back at her. He wasn't afraid of her anger.

"You know nothing, Draco Malfoy. Do not speak that way about my mother again, or I shall cut out your tongue with my bare hands and I shall not stop until this castle runs red with your pure wizard blood. Stop deluding yourself into thinking you know everything about me, because _you do not_."

His eyes darkened. "Don't defend her, Lux. She doesn't deserve it."

Luxy laughed, but it was flint hard and jagged. "You are a great one to be giving that sort of advice, Draco. Isn't your father a Death Eater? And yet you kicked Potter in the face on the train? You defend that man and all he does is abuse you!"

"Shut it, your whore! My father is a great man!" Draco growled, shoving Luxy backwards off him, only to grip her upper arms and slam her against the wall.

He glared down at her and she contemplated whether or not she would risk the repercussions of spitting in his face. She'd made a point, Draco realized, but he would never admit to it. He had more pride than to admit she'd been right. She gripped his tie and raised her wand to him again, shoving it against the side of his neck menacingly.

"Never,_ ever_ manhandle me again, Malfoy," she muttered sharply.

"Miss Listin, is there a good reason as to why your wand is pointed in such a threatening way towards Mister Malfoy?" a drawling, bored voice asked from their left.

Luxy and Draco continued to glare at each other, but Luxy's wand lowered to her side, regardless. She let him go and stuck her wand back into the side of her boot. "Just a disagreement, hey, Draco?" she asked, her words razor sharp.

"Yeah, just a disagreement, Luxy," he muttered, just as sharply.

"In the future, Miss Listin, I would appreciate if you left your wand out of your little _disagreements_ with Mister Malfoy," Snape drawled.

Luxy sneered at Draco, her chin lifting a bit higher. "Indeed, Professor. I shall not do it again."

Resisting the urge to spit at him, again, Luxy stalked back into the Great Hall, sitting back down in the empty chair beside Adalia. Her friend, who had previously been speaking to Theodore Nott, looked over at Luxy in surprise.

"I thought you were hanging breakfast, Lux," Adalia said, looking past her shoulder as Draco followed Snape into the Great Hall, taking his place next to Pansy across from them.

Luxy didn't look up. "Can't ignore the call of your stomach, you know," she told Adalia as she buttered a roll and stuffed it into her mouth.

After breakfast was concluded, and after watching Luxy and Adalia leave the Great Hall to head to Arithmancy class, Draco left with his horde of Slytherins back towards the dungeons for Potions class. Draco was not enthused at all about school at the moment, not simply because of his and Luxy's fight, but because his mind was constantly preoccupied with his mission. He shoved all thoughts of murky green eyes from his brain and stood beside Pansy, simply because she'd have an absolute fit if he didn't.

Draco had all ready decided that he was content to zone during class, much too busy thinking about his mission to pay attention. He kept his eyes focused on an oddly colored stone in the floor, working out his mission mentally, so incredibly focused on it until something unexpected caught his ear:

Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world.

He didn't look up, of course, contented to simply listen as Granger droned on and on, using her obnoxious affinity for over-telling and making herself sound smart – even though everyone knew how smart she was. She informed them all that it smelled differently to each person, according to what attracts them most about whoever they love.

Draco smelled white irises, the air just before it rained, and anise. Luxy. He smelled Merlin-damned Luxy Lorelai Listin.

The rest of the hour passed in a blur, but he wasn't thinking about his mission any more. He was bothered by the fact that he smelled Luxy Listin in the bloody love potion. He tried to think of what he might smell if it were Pansy, but he couldn't get the floral scent of irises or the sweet smell of anise to flee his senses. He couldn't love Luxy, that was for damn sure. No, it's not that he couldn't; he _didn't_. She was an obnoxious little girl. Besides, any girl his parents didn't handpick for him themselves was unacceptable. There was not point in even carrying on the ludicrous train of thought that perhaps he did feel something for Luxy.

But, as much as he couldn't stand it, the thought bugged him. Why _didn't_ he love Luxy? Regardless of her being obnoxious, she was the closest thing he had to an actual friend. Everyone around him were cohorts, little minions that he ordered about and then squashed with his expensive Italian leather shoes when they displeased him. But she refused to be ordered about by him. In fact, she usually slapped him if he barked an order to her.

That pissed him off. Why couldn't she just do what she was told? Why did she have to be so different? If she weren't so different, he wouldn't have cared less. But she was different, so it was like he was forced to care.

_It was Draco Malfoy's fifth year, and he was flying high. He was on the Inquisitorial Squad and everything was going right. He was in charge, which was the best feeling in the world. He got away with everything that year. Luxy Listin was nothing special to him at the time. He knew her as the spitfire, silver-tongued fourth year Slytherin that frequently grated on his last nerve, because she never shut up when she was supposed to. However, because of this simple fact, he was curious about her, looking for excuses to speak to her, just to hear her funny little voice._

_After Christmas holidays, Hogwarts welcomed a new student, also a fifth year, that came from Durmstang Institute. His name was Chip Saunders, and he was sorted into Slytherin House the day term resumed._

_Regardless of Luxy being an obnoxious little girl, Draco had to admit that she wasn't all that unattractive. She wasn't ridiculously gorgeous, and she didn't light up a room when she walked in. But she was pretty in her own right, with a dark mane of soft ringlets and her murky, discolored eyes that were more green than gray, but had obvious facets of both if one got close enough to see them. She consistently remained a half-head shorter than him throughout his years of knowing her, always reaching just under his chin, and her smile was more bright than any Lumos Maxima._

_Draco never kidded himself into thinking that he was the only person in all of Hogwarts that noticed the off-color beauty that was Luxy Listin, but he would have preferred it not to be Chip Saunders that noticed her._

_Being the arrogant prat he was, he sent out Crabbe and Goyle to follow Saunders around to see what he spoke to Luxy about. It annoyed Draco for a reason unknown, because he very well could have simply asked her out himself but being prideful he did not, that Saunders was taking a keen interest in the girl he wanted for himself. However, he felt it was beneath his dignity to hex the snot out of the kid for no good reason. Draco wanted a good reason to hex him, and he wanted to hex him in front of everyone._

_It was obvious that, after a while, Luxy grew uncomfortable under Saunders' constant meaningful looks her way. He never spoke to her, other than to say hello, but she didn't like the way he looked at her. She felt like a piece of rare furniture being bid on and whoever was the highest, could claim her. She wasn't a feminist in the least, but she didn't enjoy being leered upon in such a way. Even Malfoy didn't leer at her and it was obvious he was interested in her!_

_You see, there was something of an unwritten rule at Hogwarts between Luxy and Draco. Not only did Draco use the power of his prefect status, but he also used his Inquisitorial Squad status to frighten the other students. Any time someone, usually a male, would glance Luxy's way, Draco would send them a withering glare that usually sparked them to never look at her again._

_The students were under the impression that everyone who hung around Draco and his immediate group of friend/cohorts, they assumed they were bad news. Pansy Parkinson was a horrid little beast, Blaise Zabini was a stuck up git, and Crabbe and Goyle were the human boulders. It was only fitting that everyone assume such a thing, and Draco was all too willing to allow everyone at Hogwarts to assume that Luxy was a bitch just like Pansy, so they wouldn't speak to her._

_Sadly, either Saunders was a complete and utter git and a half, or he simply was not threatened by the steely glare of Malfoy eyes, because he waited until Draco returned to the Common Room one night before telling his friends, loudly, that he thought Luxy was a looker._

_Now, regardless of what your preconceived notions are, Draco Malfoy was not a violent young man. He much preferred sharp, caustic words and painful digs into soft spots to create pain when needed. But something snapped inside his head, hearing the stupid kid talk about Luxy in such a flippant way._

_It took three Slytherins to pull Draco from Saunders, who lay broken on the floor with four cracked ribs, a broken arm, a broken jaw cracked clean down the middle, and two black eyes._

_Needless to say, nobody ever messed with Luxy Listin again. And all he'd said was that Luxy was pretty._

Draco smiled slightly at the memory, rounding the corner after ascending the staircase towards the Transfiguration room. He stopped slightly when he noticed Luxy heading down the stairs, presumably towards the History of Magic class that she had next. She turned her head and peered at him from across the way, before seeming to sigh in spite of herself and then began heading over towards him with purpose.

She stopped in front of him and looked up. "I didn't mean to yell this morning," she said earnestly, almost apologizing, but no 'sorry' came from her mouth. "I don't want to fight with you, and I'd still like to be friends. And I know you wouldn't say anything to me until I came to you, so here I am. I've spared your ego, yet again."

Shocked slightly, Draco peered at her, only to find her mouth was grinning at him. Joking, he realized. She was joking with him. He taped a smile to his mouth and pulled her in close to him, savoring the softness that was all of her.

He bent in against her ear. "I'm sorry, too," he said quietly, shocking them both. Draco Malfoy never apologized.

However, when Draco looked over Luxy's shoulder, he spotted Chip Saunders with a few of his Slytherin friends. When Saunders caught Draco's smug look, then noticed who exactly he was holding, he stopped dead in his tracks, spun on his heel, and retreated back the way he'd come.

Draco gave a slight nod of approval, and then squeezed Luxy a bit tighter.

* * *

_End Note: I wanted to expand on Luxy and Draco's relationship in this chapter, just a little bit, to help you all understand. I've never read a fic with a relationship like this, so hopefully that's a good thing? Love me with a review? :)_

_- skylight; 10.23.10_


	3. Chapter Three

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

_**Sins of the Father; Part One**_

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

September came and went, ushering October in on a zephyr of slowly chilling air. Halloween was rapidly approaching. Draco and Luxy danced around each other as usual, with him not bringing up her mother and her not bringing up his mission. On the surface, it made things easier to deal with, but there was always the weight of unspoken silence between them that carried the most tension.

With her knowledge that something big was taking place in Draco's life, and with his knowledge that her mother's actions were finally taking a toll on her, things complicated further between them. Draco and Luxy always had a complicated relationship, ever since they'd first met a few years back, when Draco was a whiny git and Luxy was an obnoxious spitfire.

They'd both mellowed out a bit over the years, it seemed. Draco was still a git, in Luxy's eyes, and Luxy was still a spitfire, in Draco's eyes. But that never stopped them from trying to sort out their odd relationship. Though Luxy suspected that Draco hardly cared what Luxy was to him; it didn't really matter much to him.

Luxy's tragic character flaw was she was content – with him, at least – to not push certain things. Luxy may have been a silver-tongue, but she wasn't in Slytherin simply because of her pure blood. She was not irrational, nor impulsive, like the Gryffindor martyrs who would happily step in front of a Killing Curse to save someone they barely even knew. She knew all of Draco's buttons, and unless she was in jest, did not push them because she knew things always ended badly when people pushed Malfoy's buttons, not because he was a prat, but because he was most unpleasant when angry.

"I cannot wait to finally be able to do Apparition next year," Adalia told Luxy as they strolled lazily towards the Great Hall for lunch on a Saturday.

"Dal, you and I both know how to Apparate all ready," Luxy reminded her friend, laughing slightly.

"I mean _legally_, Luxy!" Adalia smiled. "Which reminds me, my parents sent me post just the other day about Christmas. Are you still attending our ball?"

Luxy nodded. "I'm sure we are. My mother can never pass an opportunity to make herself look wonderful. Besides, my mother adores your mother. I'm sure we're coming."

Luxy couldn't stand being forced to so many parties with her family. It was just a boring, formal get-together in which all the pureblood families of the Wizarding World gathered round to talk about how brilliant they all were because they were pure of blood. She stopped suddenly when she saw Echo sitting quietly beside the entrance to the Great Hall, holding something in his mouth.

Smiling, Luxy crouched down in front of her familiar and was shocked to see that the thing Echo was holding in his mouth was a bat. "That is a living creature, young man. You put him down this instant," Luxy reprimanded Echo, frowning at him. The young cat seemed to nod his little head and then trotted forward, placing the bat in Luxy's hand.

It was still alive and Luxy gripped it quickly so it wouldn't fly away once Echo set it down in her hand. She smoothed its wings down so they weren't mangled and stood up, smiling at Adalia, who was glaring at her.

"Put that thing down this instant, Luxy Listin," Adalia scolded. "It's vile!"

"It's Halloween! Bats are festive. Here, hold it," Luxy said and pushed it towards her friend, which made Adalia shriek and run into the Great Hall, heading towards the Slytherin table.

Luxy grinned and Echo looked up at her. "You're a bad influence on me, Echo. Next thing you know, I'll be hissing at Malfoy."

If Echo were a real boy, he would've been smirking at her, Luxy was sure. Echo hated Draco, for a reason that escaped her. Echo had only been around for a short while, he and his rambunctious twin Luxy delightfully named Psyche, had been born almost three years ago, and once Echo had been weened from his mother and could walk around freely on his own, Luxy had begged her father to allow her to take him to Hogwarts as her animal of choice.

She didn't much care for owls, finding their eyes to be a bit too frightening for her taste, and Luxy refused to carry around a toad, so a cat was apparently her match. Only Echo was not simply a cat. Echo was her magical familiar, the smartest cat Luxy had ever known. He had a personality and he understood Luxy when she spoke to him, and Luxy had learned that he did certain things to convey certain feelings. He was a person, in the form a kitten.

Luxy headed into the Great Hall, laughing as Echo bounded between her legs in a playful manner. Silly kitten was like a little boy, full of energy and life. She sat down beside Adalia, still holding the bat in her hands. Echo jumped up onto the empty seat beside Luxy and sat down, watching.

Adalia looked at the bat with her nose wrinkled. "You are so foul, Luxy Listin."

"I think she's brilliant," Draco said, smiling at her from across the table. "Let me have a go at the beast, Lux."

Luxy nodded and handed the bat over to Draco, smiling as Pansy upper lip curled in disgust, her body unconsciously moving away from his. Delighted by the simple fact that Pansy was grossed out, Luxy patted Echo's head, tickling his ear as he flopped on his side and purred at her attention.

Once she and Adalia had finally finished their lunch, Luxy took the bat from Draco again and the two girls left the Great Hall, heading towards the front of the castle. Luxy let the bat go, in favor of donning her coat, scarf, and gloves, and resisted the urge to mutter angrily to herself. She hated the winter, the snow; she hated that Europe was cold and seemed to continue to stay cold all year round. Echo bounded happily along beside the girls, walking between them with a jovial hop in his gait.

As they headed towards Hogsmeade, Adalia smiled. "So why did Malfoy call you brilliant this afternoon?" she asked Luxy.

Embarrassed for some unknown reason, Luxy grinned as innocently as a cat with a canary in her mouth. "Maybe he's finally embracing the fact that I actually am brilliant."

"Either way, he was acting odd. Not that he isn't always, mind you," Adalia said and then smiled at her friend again. Luxy stayed quiet, enjoying her own thoughts, as the two of them headed towards Madame Puddifoot's, to meet Adalia's mother for afternoon tea.

Luxy stopped suddenly when she noticed two shadowy figures hovering at the fringes of an alley. Suddenly irritated, she frowned slightly when Adalia turned around curiously.

"Dal, why don't you go meet your mother? I'll be in in a second, okay?" Luxy said and then left without hearing Adalia's response, heading towards the two women hiding in the shadows.

The two figures, dressed in black from head to toe, with their hoods up, motioned for Luxy to follow them and she and Echo followed them deeper into the alley, away from the world. Luxy stopped when they did and she folded her arms over her chest, watching as their hoods were lowered.

It was her mother and Bellatrix Lestrange. Of course it was.

Nathalie Listin, Luxy decided long ago, was probably once a very beautiful French girl. She was tall, voluptuous, and had that pretty arrogance that graced the features of high-class Parisian girls. Born, raised and bred in Paris to very wealthy, very pureblood parents, Nathalie was spoiled rotten. She'd met Luxy's father, Christopher Listin, while he was studying winged horses nearby, but to say it was love at first sight would be romanticizing things. They spoke often, and their parents congregated and arranged their marriage soon after, to benefit both of their parents' estates. Luxy was well-versed in the fact that marriage was not based on love; it was an arrangement to better the lives of both families and double their estate value.

In the Listin household, love was non-existent. It was simply easier that way.

"Yes?" Luxy prompted, after a few moments of silence. She was eager to get away from her frigid mother, and the frightening Bellatrix with her poisonous words.

"Well you see, little girl," Bellatrix began. "My nephew has a rather important mission with the Dark Lord."

"I'm aware," Luxy said shortly, a dark look crossing her features. Her snark earned her a cold glare from her mother followed swiftly by a sharp slap.

"You watch your mouth, you loose-tongued whore! Remember with whom you are speaking!" Nathalie hissed angrily.

Luxy grit her teeth, cheek smarting under the sting of the slap and the cold of the air, but she kept her mouth shut, regardless.

"What Bella's trying to say, Luxy, is you need to stay away from Draco Malfoy," Nathlie informed her, in a slightly more civil tone. "This mission is important to the Malfoy's, and will restore their full worth to the Dark Lord. I will not have you mucking about that boy and distracting him."

Red hot fury flared inside Luxy's chest. The woman talked about Voldemort like she was a Death Eater herself! It grated on Luxy's nerves, because she knew her mother would always been on the outskirts, clamoring for worth from those who couldn't care less about her.

"Draco's my friend, and I'm allowed to talk to him," Luxy said through her grit teeth, glaring up at her mother. "And I don't muck about him, _Mother_."

Bellatrix cackled, and it sent slivers of ice down the back of Luxy's neck, and then peered down at Luxy as if she were something to be squashed under one's boot. "You're lucky she's not this disrespectful to the Dark Lord, Nathalie. He'd have her tongue cut out for such sass from such an insignificant little girl."

Nathlie gripped Luxy's head and slammed it against the brick wall behind them, leaning down to speak directly into her daughter's ear. "You will do as I say, or I shall resort to more drastic measures to keep your damn mouth shut. Do you understand me, little girl?" When Luxy said nothing, Nathlie sneered. _"Juste comme votre fichu père."_

_You're just like your damn father. _The words resounded inside Luxy's rattled brain, causing unusual, unbridled rage to flare back up inside of her.

_"Je préfère être mon père qu'une chienne glaciales comme vous,"_ Luxy responded heatedly, but her voice was trembling from the pain she felt in her head. _I'd rather be my father than a frigid bitch like you._

Luxy was rewarded for her snark with another slap to the face, this time with the back of Nathalie's hand so her diamond wedding ring cut a nice, clean gash in Luxy's cheek, missing the corner of her eye by centimeters.

Luxy let out a little cry, sliding to the cold ground of the alley, her hand pressed against her cheek. The blood was oozing out, hot and sticky, between her fingers. Her brain was going foggy, her head heavy on her shoulders. Luxy closed her eyes, the dark waters engulfing her, pulling her under.

_"Luxy, stop fiddling with everything!" Nathalie Listin called to her daughter._

_A pretty, dark-haired girl bounded into her mother's room, dressed in her favorite party dress. Ten year old Luxy Listin moved behind her mother as she draped ropes of pearls around her neck, preening at the mirror._

_Luxy gripped the little zipper at the base of her mother's spine, dragging it up carefully, almost feeling the teeth as they came together under the zipper. The thought briefly passed Luxy's brain that her mother could have simply waved her wand and zipped the thing up herself, but Luxy was all too willing to help her mother out._

_Her knuckles brushed the back of her mother's neck once the zipper reached the top of the dress, and Luxy held her hand there, savoring the warmth of her mother's body._

_"Luxy, we don't have time for this. We'll be late," Nathalie hissed sharply and then left the room in a rush, leaving Luxy to stand alone, pining after the glass cleverly disguised as her mother's kisses._

As if waking from a dream, Luxy sat up and rubbed her aching head.

"Luxy? Oh, Merlin's beard, Lux, you look awful," she heard from somewhere nearby. She groaned slightly, hearing whose voice the words belonged to. Of course it was him, of all people to find her this way.

"Thanks, Malfoy. Nice to see you, too," she muttered and then gripped the hand that was offered to her, pulling herself off the ground. She leaned back against the brick and touched her cheek, feeling the caked on mess that was the gash on her cheek.

_"Tergeo,"_ he muttered with a little flourish of his wand, the blood clearing off her face instantly. Draco grimaced slightly.

Luxy frowned. "That bad, yeah?"

"She got you good, Lux," Draco admitted and then stuffed his wand back into his pocket. "What were you doing down here anyways? What made her hit you?"

Luxy sighed and then rubbed her hands over her face, trying to clear her muddled brain. "She and your endearing aunt came to tell me to stay away from you."

"Aunt Bella? Really?" Draco looked shocked at first and then a dark, annoyed look crossed his face. "Why should you stay away from me?"

Luxy grinned suddenly at him. "They both are under the impression that I distract you. As if, eh, Malfoy?"

"You do, actually, Listin. So clear off from now on, would you?" he joked and she laughed, hooking her arm through his as they left the alley together. "I'm sure you didn't come here to talk to your mum. Where can I walk you?"

"Madame Puddifoot's, if you please," Luxy told him and then laughed again when Draco made a face.

"Why? Got someone there you fancy?" he teased her.

"Oh, you're going, too, Malfoy? Then, yes, there is someone there I fancy," Luxy said, tossing him a secret grin. "I'm actually to meet Adalia's mother for afternoon tea. I suppose I can't go now that I look a fright."

"Then you'll have to spend the afternoon with me, Lux," Draco decided and then glanced down at her. "Unless you're actually planning on finally listening to your mother and doing as your told."

Luxy grinned. "Draco, when have I ever been known to do as I'm told?"

* * *

_End Note: It's obvious that either your keyboards are broken, or I have seriously overshot myself by thinking I write well. Hopefully it's not the latter._

_- skylight; 10.31.10_


	4. Chapter Four

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

_**Sins of the Father; Part One**_

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Luxy enjoyed herself immensely the whole afternoon, feeling a bit sorry for ditching Adalia to spend time with Draco, but she banished the thought instantly. They didn't do much, really. Just walked around and talked, catching up, mostly, enjoying as much as they could before turning back to head into Hogwarts. Draco insisted that Luxy get herself checked out by Madame Pomfrey, to see if she had something that would help heal her cut.

Draco sneered slightly when Filch gripped Luxy's arm roughly, prodding at her with his Secrecy Sensor, though Luxy was perfectly content to stand quietly and let him do his job. She gave Draco an exasperated look, and he calmed slightly when Filch turned to him. Once they'd been cleared, they headed into Hogwarts and then up the stairs towards the infirmary.

They entered the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey looked slightly scandalized at the sight of Luxy.

"Good Merlin, Miss Listin! What have you gotten up to this time?" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed, pulling Luxy forward and shoving her down on a nearby bed. She took Luxy's jaw in her sturdy hands, tilting her face up and tutting to herself. "Gracious, what a nasty wound. Well, lucky for you, I have just the thing that will shrink it right up."

Madame Pomfrey bustled away and Draco came to sit down beside her. Luxy sighed. "Is it really that bad, Draco? Really, I mean."

"It is, Lux. I wasn't kidding when I said she got you good," he told her.

"Trace it."

His finger started at her temple and then drew a nearly straight line down her cheek, stopping just above the corner of her lips on the left side. Luxy grimaced slightly; he was right. It probably was rather nasty, and probably fairly deep.

She blew air from her lips and then looked up when Madame Pomfrey returned with a bottle filled with an emerald potion. She dabbed some on a thick cloth and then swiped it along the gash in Luxy's cheek. Draco watched as gash in Luxy's cheek bubbled white and then began to shrink.

"Does it hurt?" he asked her.

Luxy slanted him a look from the corner of her eyes. "A little."

Madame Pomfrey gave her a skeptical look. It should have hurt very badly the moment the potion was applied until the cut began shrinking. The potion was re-growing her skin, so her body wouldn't have to heal itself on it's own. It should have hurt.

Luxy didn't even flinch.

"Well, dear, you should be right as rain now," Madame Pomfrey said and then left the two of them.

Luxy stood up at their obvious dismissal and then sighed. "I hope Dal isn't too angry with me for ditching her," she muttered to herself and then looked up when Echo came bounding in.

He stopped when he noticed Draco, who had just stood up, and sat down at Luxy's feet, growling as he stared at Draco.

"Don't make me hex you, cat." Draco glared at the beast and Echo hissed at him in response.

Luxy rolled her eyes. "Boys."

She headed out of the hospital wing, touching her cheek absently. Sure, it had hurt pretty badly, but pain had no place in her brain at the moment. Luxy looked up again when three all too familiar people came strolling down the corridor.

It was Adalia Cross, Pansy Parkinson, and Flynn Finesse. Adalia looked relieved to see Luxy standing there, Pansy looked annoyed, and Flynn looked amused. Adalia gripped Luxy hard in a hug, stepped back and then glared at her.

"What's wrong with you!" she exclaimed. "You left me alone with my mother!"

Luxy smiled easily. "Hey, Flynn."

"Hey, Lux," he responded. "See, Dal? I told you Luxy had a good reason for ditching you. She probably got throttled by a Death Eater or something. But where's Malfoy?"

Luxy blinked. "Why would he be here?"

Adalia sighed. "Finesse is under the impression that anywhere you go, Malfoy is lurking around somewhere. He's finally wrong. But that's why Pansy's here, since Flynn decided that if we found you, we'd find Malfoy, too."

"Nice deducing, Finesse. Sure you're not a Ravenclaw?"

They all turned when Draco emerged from the hospital wing, hands stuffed in his trouser pockets. He winked cheekily at Luxy and then let Pansy fall all over him with worry.

Flynn tossed one arm around Luxy's neck and one around Adalia's and steered the two girls back down the corridor. Luxy turned slightly and waved brightly towards Draco.

"Bye, Draco!" she called, laughing when he waved back in the same way she had, teasing her.

"So where did you go?" Adalia asked as Flynn let them go when they reached the marble staircase.

"I got accosted by my mother and Bellatrix Lestrange. They told me to stay away from Malfoy, but they didn't tell me why," Luxy said, glancing away. She wasn't sure if Draco cared enough about his mission to brag about to everyone, and she wasn't going to be the one to break the secrecy by telling her friends.

"Maybe because he's a Death Eater and they know you aren't, and they don't want you to discourage him from his destiny," Adalia suggested.

Luxy shook her head. "He's not a Death Eater. His father is," she said, mostly to convince herself of this fact. In truth, she wasn't really sure if he was or not. She was afraid to find out, and be disappointed.

And what if he was? Would she stop being his friend if he was? He knew she greatly disliked the Death Eaters and what they stood for. Perhaps he was withholding information from her, because he didn't want her to stop talking to him. The thought bothered her greatly.

The three friends roamed around the castle until it was time for the Halloween feast, in which Echo decided to turn up, yet again, and sit on his haunches near Luxy's foot, batting at the toe of her boot until she gave him some scraps from her own plate, though she didn't like to give him scraps. He was worthy of a meal, Echo was.

Halfway through her eating, however, Luxy growled and dropped her fork. "Oh, bloody hell, I have an essay due for DADA that I completely forgot about."

"About what?" Flynn asked curiously.

Luxy made a face. "Banshees."

"You know all about wailing women, don't you, Lux? It'll be easy," Flynn told her cheekily, though Luxy didn't miss the fact that Draco made the smallest of faces at the fact that Flynn had called her 'Lux'.

"I hate being a fifth year. I hate preparing for the bloody O.W.L.'s and I hate all the homework getting piled on us!" Luxy complained and then sighed. "At least Charms is the first O.W.L. I will definitely be aces at it."

"Well don't worry about it tonight, Lux. We have poker to play," Flynn said happily, grinning over top of his pumpkin juice cup.

"Poker?" Pansy wrinkled her nose, which was a drastic improvement to her face. "Isn't that a Muggle game?"

Luxy shook her head. "Not when you play with enchanted cards it's not. The cards smoke randomly, sometimes when you bluff and other times when you have a kick-arse hand. They're temperamental as hell."

"I can't believe you guys still carry on that tradition. It's been – what? – four years now?" Draco asked them, but he looked a bit amused. "Don't you think it's time to give it a rest?"

"What's the matter, Malfoy? Afraid you'll lose to me like you did last year?" Luxy jeered him, grinning devilishly. She loved playing against Draco. He was competitive, obviously, if he felt the need to continually best Saint Potter, and she never backed down from a fight, or in this case, a chance to rub his pointed little nose in her victory.

Draco smiled pleasantly. "Not at all, Listin. Just wanted to give you a chance to back down before I obliterated you in the game."

Pansy scoffed. "I cannot believe you're encouraging her, Draco. It's a _Muggle_ game! That's disgusting!"

"Yeah, maybe you should actually listen to your girlfriend for once in your life, Malfoy. I mean, you'll probably lose anyways," Luxy taunted and then stood up. "Come on, guys. I want to at least start playing in case Professor Snape decides to actually yell at us again."

Snape had actually reprimanded all of them when he'd caught them the first time four years ago, playing in the common room on Halloween night. Being Slytherins, of course, gave them complete liberty to consciously ignore the rules and continued to play the next year, regardless of what their Head of House had said. Snape hadn't really mentioned it again, but they all had a feeling he knew what they were doing.

Luxy hooked an arm through Flynn's, chatting happily with him, ignoring the delightful sound of Pansy squawking after Draco, who apparently decided to take her challenge like she knew he would. He couldn't help himself, honestly. He hated being challenged, and he knew if he backed down, she'd win and he didn't want her to win.

The disobedient Slytherins pushed a few chairs towards a table and then all took their places. Luxy grinned around the table. It was Flynn, Draco, Adalia, Nott, Millicent, and herself.

"Now then, wands away, children. Can't have cheating now," Flynn admonished and Luxy tucked her wand into her boot, smirking as her friend produced a deck of cards from inside the breast pocket of his shirt.

He dealt the cards with practiced ease and Luxy peered at the two cards in front of her, keeping her face carefully composed. In poker played by wizards, especially those skilled in Legilimency, it was easy to know when a player was bluffing, had a good hand, etc. And Luxy knew that Draco would probably try it at some point, perhaps not to her, but to someone else.

Too bad she was a sufficient Occlumens so that a wizard such as Malfoy could not invade her brain, and she would know if he tried.

The first few hands were largely uneventful, low bets as they all got into their stride. Pots were collected pretty evenly among the players, the cards smoking purple as they pleased, though Luxy's kept switching to blue sometimes, which she found funny.

Luxy was a hideously good bluff, Draco admitted to himself, annoyed inside but outside he was emotionless. She kept her lightheartedness about her, smiling pleasantly and raising bets without even blinking. He knew better than to try and get inside her mind, because she'd kill him, he was pretty sure. Instead, Draco found himself spending a good part of the hands trying to make her laugh.

Pansy, of course, looked on with disdain, but sat behind Draco, watching his cards from over his shoulder. Draco paid her no mind, of course. He was half-focused on the pretty fifth year that sat directly across from him, smiling at Flynn when he teased her about something Draco hadn't caught. Her smile was bewitching, which was horrifying, because Draco Malfoy didn't like to admit that.

It annoyed him that he found her pretty, smart, funny, and a great friend. He'd never really noticed before, too busy preening under Pansy's constant flailing about him, but this year it seemed that she was boring him. Draco was used to being looked after, taken care of, spoiled, and Pansy was just the kind of person his parents would want for him, because she'd spoil him as well if they ever got married.

But Luxy was not that sort of girl.

She demanded things from him, made him think, annoyed the bloody hell out of him, really. And, Draco realized, she was the best thing he had at the moment. With his mission bearing down on him, and the knowledge that his Aunt Bella and Luxy's own mother had come to tell Luxy to back off him, it was hard to feel anything but stress at the moment.

But, oddly enough, just seeing Luxy grinning across the table from him was enough to make the weight on his shoulders lighten just a little. Though, he decided mentally, one day _he_ would be the one that made Luxy Listin smile.

* * *

_End Note: Well, at least ONE person's keyboard got fixed. Haha, mucho thanks to my lone reviewer. On a cooler note, on JKR's website, she has the WOMBAT test and I took it ( being the nerd I am ) and I got an E. I am continually convinced that I was supposed to go to Hogwarts eight years ago. :)_

_Oh, and if you haven't noticed, I'm sort of picking fun at JKR with some of my characters' names beginning with the same letters. :) She's very repetitive in that respect. I've always liked that. Hence Luxy's name._

_- skylight; 11.06.10_


	5. Chapter Five

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

_**Sins of the Father; Part One**_

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Luxy was happy, to say the least, that her mother didn't feel in necessary to continue hounding her to stay away from Draco, which greatly reduced her worries, though she was becoming increasingly annoyed that Draco kept sneaking off alone, not telling anyone where he was going.

So, deciding to embrace the fact that she was an utter brat and a half, she resigned herself into following him one day after class. She didn't like that idea, of course, since trailing boys was the last thing she wanted to do, much less that boy being Draco Malfoy, but her naturally obnoxious I-must-know-everything attitude was kicking in, and since he was sparing her no small details as to where in Merlin's name he was going, she decided to use her own devices and figure it out herself.

Adalia and Luxy left the Ancient Runes classroom, Luxy spotted Draco walking right past them in the shuffle of students. Her eyes narrowed. He had DADA with Snape three floors down. _What the hell is he doing on the sixth floor?_ she wondered. Annoyed, and curious, she left Adalia's side, eyes following the sleek blond head that bobbed around the others.

"Luxy? Where are you going? We're not going that way?" Adalia framed it as a question but Luxy waved her off.

"I just want to see something. I'll catch up with you later," she promised halfheartedly and then continued pushing through students to catch up with Mr. Mysterious.

She hung back, keeping an exact nine paces behind his determined steps. She rounded the corner and then stopped, peering around it, feeling a bit like a spy. Luxy pressed her back against the stone, waiting until he finally disappeared.

What the hell was he doing skulking around the Room of Requirement?

Luxy didn't like following people. It made her feel like the Golden Trio, butting her nose into things that weren't any of her business. However, she made a mental exception for that of Draco, because, well, she wasn't sure.

Besides that fact, didn't he have DADA with Snape? Draco never struck her as a person who skipped class, simply because his father would have had a conniption, but there he was, skipping class. Granted, she had class as well that day, but she decided that being nosy was more pressing than being in Potions for the moment.

Resigned to her momentary fate, Luxy sat down in the small alcove that was made by the large, sunken windows of the corridor. She wasn't even sure how long she waited for him, but when he emerged, his shoulders slumped at the sight of her staring at him, with her arms crossed.

"Hello, Draco," she said pleasantly, knowing he wouldn't have come out that way if he'd heard her.

Draco rolled his eyes and head over towards where Luxy sat, feeling those awful, all-seeing gray-green eyes following his every move. He sat across from her, sinking down onto the hard stone. "Don't you have class, Lux?" he asked her conversationally, gripping her foot, setting it in his lap, playing with the laces absently.

Luxy had actually worn the correct shoes that day, after getting ten points taken from Slytherin in Transfiguration class. Draco unlaced the shoe in his lap and began tediously re-lacing her shoes, ignoring the holes her eyes were burning in the crown of his head.

"Why do you always feel the need to fiddle with my person when I make you feel uncomfortable?" Luxy demanded, though she didn't entirely mind, but she worried because Draco Malfoy fiddling meant he had things on his mind.

Tying her shoes for her was something he did often, just one of those little quirks of his that he adopted around her, and only her. She never mind it all that much – she found it a little adorable, to be honest.

"So did you follow me then?" he asked her, dropping the foot he was working on in favor of the other one.

"Obviously, 'else I wouldn't be sitting outside the Room of Requirement waiting for you," Luxy said slowly, like talking to someone who was mentally incapable of grasping simple facts.

"Right," he muttered and then breathed out deeply, lacing her shoe tightly before letting it go again.

Luxy got up and sat down beside him, curling her arm through his, lacing their fingers together. She set her head down on his shoulder and she sighed softly. To say Draco was shocked would be an incredible understatement. Even though his shirt, his jumper, his robe, he could feel how soft her cheek was, and her soft curls tickled the side of his neck in a lovely way.

"I'm not going to ask what you were doing," she informed him quietly. "So don't worry. What you do is your business, Draco, not mine."

"Lux..." he began and then stopped. What would he say to that? I love you so much, Luxy, so you should worry about me. Not likely, though the words were on the tip of his tongue, ready to fall out of his mouth.

"Hum?" she murmured, and he squeezed her hand.

"I know you won't ask, but maybe you should," he said quietly, and then actually sighed. "Luxy, do you think someone who was pushed into something bad is bad themselves?"

Luxy blinked. "Well, no."

"Why?"

She lifted her head slightly and peered at him. "There are two kinds of evil people in the world, Draco. People who do evil things, like Voldemort. And people who see evil things and do nothing, or help progress the evil, like the Death Eaters. And then there's the people who didn't ever want to do evil, but don't have enough courage to speak up and stop it. So, no, I don't think someone who was pushed into doing the wrong thing is a bad person. Just... confused, I guess."

_Is that what I am? Confused?_ he wondered and then frowned slightly, seeing the confusion clear as day in her eyes.

"What if you knew someone, someone you cared about, and they were pushed into something bad, Luxy? Would you still be their friend, even if they're supposed to be bad?" he asked her, peering pointedly at her.

Luxy wasn't a stupid girl. This was no hypothetical situation he was talking about. He was talking about himself. But she wasn't going to ruin it by admitting that she knew it was him he was talking about. He was asking her if she'd still be friends with him even though whatever his secret was, was bad, and making him do something bad.

"If I didn't care about them, I wouldn't be their friend," Luxy said simply. "But, in your situation, if I cared about that person, I would stick by them. There's this Muggle saying 'don't throw the baby out with the bath water.' And don't look at me like that, Draco. I don't remember where I heard it," Luxy said, giving him an annoyed look when he rolled his eyes. "And that's how I feel. Just because a part of someone is bad, doesn't mean the whole part of someone is bad. So it's stupid to stop being friends if only a part of someone is bad. Understand?"

_So she'd still be my friend,_ he concluded, and nodded to show he understood her words.

Luxy set her head back down on his shoulder and closed her eyes thoughtfully. They stayed sitting there until their classes were over and then picked themselves up slowly. Draco was unwilling to pull his hand from Luxy's, because she was soft and warm and all he wanted to do was snog her to death, but he couldn't do that. He couldn't hurt her more than he was all ready going to, and pulling her deeper in the snow with him would simply complicate their over-complicated relationship.

"There you are!" Adalia shouted when she spotted Luxy and Draco walking down the marble staircase together. Luxy's lips quirked in a ghost of a smile, wondering why it was Dal that always seemed to catch them together. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Just talking to a dragon, Mother. Settle your knickers, would you?" Luxy said easily and then hooked her arm through Adalia's, pulling her down the corridor, leaving Draco with a simple parting nod.

"I overheard the Golden Trio talking about Katie Bell," Adalia said. "Apparently she's doing awful. I still can't believe anybody would want to curse her. I mean, she of no importance to anyone here. Why curse her?"

Remembering what Draco had said earlier, Luxy frowned. "Maybe the necklace wasn't meant for her. Maybe she was taking it to someone."

Luxy could feel Adalia's skepticism and fought the urge to bash her forehead into the nearest wall. "Where the hell do you come up with these things, Luxy Listin? Who was the necklace for, then? And why use Katie Bell?"

"I don't know!" Luxy said loudly, pulling her arm from her friends'. "I'm just... putting out a theory."

"I've heard some crazy theories, Luxy, but that has to take the gold," Adalia said simply and they sighed together at the same time and ducked into the common room to, once again, study for their O.W.L's.

The two of them studied and exchanged notes until dinner, taking a quick break to grab a bite to eat, and then it was back up to the common room to complete their homework and then get back to studying.

Luxy never had so much homework in her life! All the professors assigned these days were essays upon essays; worst yet, Luxy wasn't even sure what the hell sort of career she wanted to pursue. She couldn't even think that far; it was overwhelming. She was young! It was far too early to be thinking about things outside of school.

Adalia retired after a while, leaving Luxy alone in front of the fire, glaring down at her Transfiguration textbook, getting fed up with trying to remember spells and what they did. She tossed her book to the ground, sat back on the couch and growled at the ceiling, which actually startled Echo who had curled up against her thigh was was dozing off. Luxy sighed and rubbed under his chin.

"Sorry, kid," she apologized. "You should be so glad you don't have to take the bloody O.W.L's."

"Lux, are you seriously up at this hour?"

Luxy looked up in surprise when Draco planted himself next to her, tossing her a grin before he grabbed her fallen Transfiguration book. She sat back and Echo climbed into Luxy's lap, staking his claim by digging his claws into her hips, kneading at her before he settled back into his curling position, his eyes staring at Draco.

"Calm down, cat. I'm not taking your girl," Draco muttered at Echo, who hissed in response. He then gave Luxy a look. "I'll help you for a little bit, but you need to go to sleep, Lux. You can't learn things if you're half-asleep in class tomorrow."

She nodded her resignation and Draco leaned back, resting back on the arm of the couch, watching in slight surprise as she leaned back between his legs, folding her arms over her stomach. He asked her questions about simple spells and she answered them all correctly, reciting almost word-for-word what they transfigured.

Eventually, she curled on her side and fell asleep against his chest. Draco moved her gently so she rested more comfortably against his side, resting her book upside down nearby so it looked like he'd been helping her for a little bit and they'd just fallen asleep. It was late, of course.

Draco smiled, just a little.

Luxy looked so calm sleeping, so small. Her long hair down around her shoulders, her green eyes closed peacefully. She was untroubled by everything, by her mother who demanded so much from her, by even himself who was selfish enough to keep her dangling by a string, too proud to tell her how he felt.

She was amazing, breathtaking, beautiful. He was lucky she stuck around. He was damn lucky. He ran his hand along her hair, the curls slipping around his fingers easily. He leaned down, inhaling the sweet scent of irises and kissed the part in her hair, smiling as she stirred slightly only to press closer against him, and whispered the words he was too afraid to speak in the daylight against her neck.

* * *

_End Note: So this chapter was written to the theme music of the new Good Charlotte CD, so it might be a little inconsistent with the previous chapters. :) On a side note, the fluff is building ( could you tell? ), because I want it to fit my timeline. I have the whole story planned, it's just a matter of plugging the characters into what actually happens in the book._

_Anyways, I was reading HBP again and I didn't realize that Katie Bell was cursed sometime in the middle of October, so that's why Adalia mentions it this chapter. I totally forgot about that... Sorry in advance. I'm trying to keep to the actual book timeline, but little things like that slip through me sometimes. I will try not to do that again. :)_

_Love me with a review?_

_P.S.- Dunno if anyone cares, but the song at the beginning is called "The No Seatbelt Song" by Brand New. Listen to it. It explains this part of the story SO well. ( it was between that and "Marry Me" by Train. That works, too! Listen to them both! ) :). There's another song that will better describe the second part, which is why it's two parts. :) I am awesome, I know._

_- skylight; 11.09.10_


	6. Chapter Six

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

_**Sins of the Father; Part One**_

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

_Draco Malfoy was not a stupid young man. In fact, he was rather clever, ingenious, and unnervingly perceptive. He wasn't an idiot; he saw the way Finesse tossed Luxy meaningful looks every once an a while. At first, Draco had brushed it off. Any man with eyes and sense could see that Luxy was pretty in her own right. But, after he kept seeing it – fleeting glances though they were – it began to annoy him greatly._

_It was easy to beat the snot out of kids that Luxy didn't care for, since she wouldn't be upset about it. Well, she'd be upset that he'd beat the snot of of someone "for no reason" as she'd put it, but still. He could handle her wrath, her pointed glares, the poking him harshly in the chest with her wand to punctuate aggressive words. What he couldn't handle was having competition, since one day soon she'd slip from his grasp, no longer content to pick at the crumbs he threw her._

_She'd move on and he'd only have himself to blame. He put off putting himself on a limb with her by effectively disarming the competition, so he wouldn't have to make that choice until he decided to stop being a prat about everything._

_However, this was different._

_Luxy and Finesse were friends. Best friends, if he didn't count himself, though Draco knew he was Luxy's best friend, hands down. Finesse was a very close second, however, but Draco didn't like those odds. At all._

_One night during his fifth year, he ducked into the common room and found Luxy, Finesse and Cross lounging around, laughing about something, though Luxy was laughing the most, doubled over Cross' lap – what the hell was her name again? - and Draco decided that her laugh was the most infectious thing he'd ever heard, and fought to keep his usual cold sneer placed on his features._

_Luxy looked up at him, and when he caught her eye, something wound tight in his chest. "Have fun playing lap dog to Umbridge, Malfoy?" she asked him in a saucy way._

_He rolled his eyes at her. "You're just sore because you didn't join the Squad."_

_"You're right, Malfoy. I was actually thinking about getting involved with Potter. I hear he's got something cooking," Luxy said flippantly and then grinned. "Maybe I'll be a part of that. What's it called? Dumbledore's Army!"_

_"Luxy, you're such a bitch!" Cross said, pushing Luxy playfully, to which Luxy responded maturely by sticking out her tongue._

_Draco watched as Finesse's eyes slipped from Luxy's face to her tongue, before he looked away again, seemingly embarrassed. This enraged him, on the inside, of course. He took the seat on the couch directly behind Luxy, who was sitting on the floor where their books – it looked like – that had been long abandoned. He pulled Luxy back against the couch, giving a rather pointed, caustic stare to Finesse, who looked as if he was suppressing the urge to roll his eyes._

_Luxy, however, suppressed nothing and rolled her eyes at this possessive display, but didn't move at all. Draco chalked this up to a victory for him, though he knew better than to boast in front of her about it._

_The Cross girl, who was either completely thick or just simply ignored the idiots currently marinating in testosterone, decided to break the silence. "So what did Umbridge make you do tonight, Malfoy?" she asked him._

_"Oh, you know, the usual," Draco said absently, eyes trained on Finesse as he toyed with a curl that draped over Luxy's shoulder._

_Luxy and the Cross girl shared a look, that looked rather suspicious to Draco, and then Luxy stood up. "Well, I don't know about you kids, but I'm dead on my feet. I'm going to bed," Luxy announced and then stood up. "Coming, Adalia?"_

_Cross – or Adalia, Draco noted – looked relieved, and stood up as well. Draco tugged Luxy's hand, pulling her down to his level to kiss her cheek. Her expression didn't change, no surprise, no annoyance, she just lifted those odd green eyes to his, watching him for a moment before she and Cross – no, Adalia – shuffled off towards the stairs to go to their dorms._

_Once the girls were out of sight, Finesse looked at Draco with an impassive expression. "You got something to say to me, Malfoy?" he asked._

_Draco nodded and leaned back, draping his arms along the back of the couch. "It's obvious you're a smart guy, Finesse," he began, tilting his head slightly as Finesse looked a little shaken by his words. "So I figure I'm only going to have to say this once: don't get any ideas about Luxy."_

_Finesse's eyes narrowed just slightly, his jaw working around in annoyance. All nervousness was gone. "Why? Afraid she'll like me better than you? You know, Malfoy, you never pegged me as an easily jealous bloke."_

_Draco didn't allow himself to get pissed at his jab. It was stupid, so he continued speaking as if Finesse hadn't mouthed off. "If I even _hear_ about you looking at her for too long, I'm coming after you, Finesse. And this time, there won't be any teachers, or people, around to pull me off of you. You can bet on that."_

_He wanted to elaborate on his threat, but he heard footsteps heading down the stone staircase, and both boys turned to see Luxy's suspicious green eyes, flicking between Finesse to Draco himself._

_She folded her arms across her chest. "Did I miss something?" she asked Draco, but it sounded like she was accusing him of something without actual voicing it. She came over to where they still sat and grabbed her Potions book, the one she'd purposefully left on the table – though he found out she left it there purposefully much later._

_"Didn't miss a thing, Lux," Draco told her easily. "Just have a little discussion, isn't that right, Finesse?"_

_"Sure as hell is, Malfoy," Finesse responded, his mouth set in a firm line of annoyance._

_Luxy was not satisfied, though that wasn't surprising at all. "Did you discuss anything I should be aware of?"_

_"Nothing of substance, no," Finesse told her, and Draco snorted but stood up anyways, draping an arm over Luxy's shoulders._

_Luxy knew better than to think they were just having a discussion. Draco looked irritated and Flynn looked ready to jump across the table and throttle him, for whatever reason. She wondered what they were fighting about, though she had a good idea what it was about. Or who, rather._

_"Don't worry too much, Lux. You should go to bed," Draco told her._

_She turned her caustic green eyes to him, shrugging off his arm. "No, I definitely think you two should be ones to go to bed, since you're done 'discussing' things."_

_Flynn shrugged and headed off to his room to sleep. Luxy huffed and went for the stairs herself, but Draco caught her arm. "Lux, don't be mad at me," he almost begged, except Malfoys do not beg._

_"Then let's not make a repeat of last month with that Saunders kid, shall we?" she hissed at him and then left his side to stomp up the stairs._

"Draco? Are you even listening to me?" Pansy's whining voice broke though Draco's thoughts, and he glanced over at her before peering across the table at Luxy, though she'd stopped eating her breakfast and her nose was buried in the parchment she held in her hands, presumably a letter from her father, Draco figured. Though she didn't look happy.

"What's the matter, Listin?" Pansy taunted. "Daddy tell you he can't have you come home for Christmas again this year?"

Luxy looked up slowly, staring blankly at Pansy for a moment until the pumpkin juice in her cup she was lifting to her lips exploded in her face. The Slytherins in the immediate area burst out laughing, and Draco had to smother his own laughter into his hand. Luxy crumpled the parchment in her hands and then stood up rather abruptly and left the Great Hall.

Pansy was making such a big deal that nobody noticed when Draco plucked the crumbled ball on the table and opened it in his lap, reading the little note that was scrawled in an angry, thick way:

_Your father is not able to respond to your little letters, nor would he if he could. Do not write again, you insufferable brat._

It was not signed, but Draco knew immediately who it was. And it had upset Luxy. He pulled his wand out and whispered_ "Incendio"_ and the parchment flared up in his hand before going out, leaving it simply ash.

He stood up and left the Great Hall, heading down the steps towards the Slytherin dungeons, knowing she'd be there. He climbed the steps towards the girls dorm, finding Luxy shoving books into her school bag in an angry way, sniffling every so often.

"Let me guess," she said, bitterness in her voice. "Parkinson read the note in front of everyone, and now you know, isn't that right, Draco? And you've come up here because you're under the ludicrous notion that you and I are anything close to being friends, right?"

To say he was shocked was a drastic understatement. He'd never seen her so angry, especially not towards him. "Lux–" he started but she turned around, glaring at him through glassy eyes.

"Don't defend yourself in front of me, Malfoy. And, before you say it, no, you don't understand what I'm going through. You'll just pick on some first years, cuddle up with Pansy and everything will be peachy in your pathetic little life! _You don't know_ _anything, you stupid ferret_!" she shouted.

Draco crossed the floor in two strides and slapped her hard across the face, not giving himself time to regret it. She reeled back slightly and held her cheek in her hand, glaring at him. Drastic way to get her to shut up, but it had worked, nonetheless. He gripped her upper arm fiercely.

"Do not go making an enemy of me, Luxy. I am not your enemy," he whispered viciously, their noses nearly touching. "And I understand you more than you would ever want to know. So don't pull that rubbish with me. We're all broken, Luxy. Not just you. Quit being so damn selfish for once in your bloody life."

Luxy gritted her teeth. "I have to get to class," she informed him.

He let go of her arm and watched as she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the dormitory.

Everyone left Luxy alone that morning, not that it was hard to do. She kept glaring at everyone, not something she normally did. Her oddly misplaced friendly demeanor was gone, and now she looked and acted more like a Slytherin. By lunch time, not even Adalia was speaking to her, preferring to hang around Theodore Nott, leaving Luxy sitting a few seats away from everyone else.

A small boy ran up to Luxy, smiling, and handed her a roll of parchment. "What's this?" Luxy asked him, in a considerably more pleasant way than she'd been all morning.

"It's from Professor Dumbledore," he told her and then hurried off.

She unrolled the parchment, reading that Dumbledore asked her to his office immediately, though he did not state why. With a sigh, Luxy stood up, tucking the parchment into the inside pocket of her robe before she shuffled off towards her Headmasters' office.

She spoke the password to the gargoyle, who jumped aside to let her through, and she climbed the stairs easily. She knocked thrice on the door she found at the top of the stairs.

"Come in!" he called from inside.

Luxy stepped into Dumbledore's office, seeing Fawkes first. She stepped over to the large bird and smoothed his feathers down with her hand, smiling in delight as he made a soft noise of approval.

"Hello to you, too, pretty bird," Luxy said, laughing.

"You get your love of animals from your father, you know, Miss Listin," Dumbledore said, and Luxy padded up to his desk. "Please, have a seat, dear."

Luxy sat down, but not before noticing his fingers had taken on a blackened tinge. They looked corpse-like and frightening, but Luxy knew better not to stick her nose into things where her nose wasn't welcomed. "Sir, have I done something wrong? Because if I'm here because I was screaming at Draco earlier, I'm really sorry and–"

She cut herself off when Dumbledore held up his good hand in an effort to silence her. "Miss Listin, you are not in trouble," he assured her. "However, I noticed you received post this morning. Did your mother inform you of your father's condition?"

Luxy grimaced. "No, she didn't. She never tells me a thing," she muttered and then froze, her heart squeezing once with fear. "My father's _condition_?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. He's currently staying in a Muggle hospital, since St. Mungo's does not know how to treat him. He's in a very delicate condition."

Luxy resisted the very heavy urge to vomit. "What happened to him? He wasn't cursed or something?" she demanded, her head spinning.

"That's just the thing, my dear. The Healers couldn't figure out what was making him so sick. Believe me, Miss Listin, he was very sick, and very weak."

She felt wooden and hollow, sitting there quietly, absorbing the reality of the situation. That's why she got such a harsh letter from her mother. The owl probably didn't go to the Muggle hospital, or if he tried, he was probably intercepted by her mother's owl.

"However, I found this curious object in my own post this morning, and I believe it to be from your father," Dumbledore said, producing a very familiar piece of parchment from one of his desk drawers. "It's blank, but I have a feeling there's a deeper meaning. Your father was a very clever Ravenclaw, Miss Listin, and I assume this is one of his many ingenious workings."

Luxy nodded, taking the parchment with waxy fingers. "It's a lullaby my father wrote me when I was small. The piano in our sitting room was enchanted so that, when you play it, the music shows up. It won't play on any other piano."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Clever man, your father is. Not unlike yourself, my dear," he told her. "Now then, I am excusing you from your afternoon classes, seeing as I'm sure you're rather distraught by this news."

Luxy nodded, murmuring a thank-you before she exited the room, walking stiffly through the throngs of students, feeling out of herself. The faces that passed her were blurred and they spoke in a language that was foreign to her ears. When she reached her dorm, however, she fell hard into her forgiving bed and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

_End Note: I know, I know: not worth the wait. But uni kicks my ass. No joke. It's becoming end of term and blahblahblah. But the muse was knocking and I can't ignore her. I rather like this chapter. Is it wrong that I adore when Draco and Luxy fight? Dunno. Probably just me._

_Anyways, I hate it when writers make the characters all soft in one chapter and then they're back at each other's throats the next. Sadly, I am ( apparently ) one of those writers. But Luxy and Draco butt heads too much, which is why they fight, but also why they get along. Damn the complicatedness of relationships! :)_

_Love me with a review?_

_- skylight; 11.19.10_

_P.S - LET'S GO KILL VOLDEMORT! ( On November 19th! TODAY! )_


	7. Chapter Seven

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

**Sins of the Father ; Part One**

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

A loud crack woke Luxy a few hours later, and she rolled over to see her house-elf Trinky holding up a tray with a tea cup and a tea pot on it. Trinky had been on of her very good confidantes when she was a young girl. Though many pureblood families regarded their house elves as simple workers (and things to abuse), Luxy found herself drawn to the little elf, because they had many adventures together, and always covered up for Luxy when she would get in trouble. Yes, they were quite a pair.

Luxy sat up and rubbed her eyes, surprised when her brain finally registered the fact that Trinky was indeed standing there, staring up at her. Trinky padded over to her bedside table, placing the tray on it.

"Trinky hopes she didn't wake Mistress," Trinky squeaked, eyeballing the tea as if ready to douse herself with it.

"Not at all. I was actually just laying in bed thinking," Luxy said, not wanting her elf to do anything rash.

Trinky beamed. "Good, then, Trinky is pleased." She poured Luxy a cup of tea, dropping two cubes of sugar in and a small splash of milk before materializing a spoon to stir it all together. Trinky handed the cup to Luxy when she was finished.

"Thank you, Trinky," Luxy said gratefully. "Tea always does make me feel better."

"Trinky knew tea still made Mistress Luxy happy," Trinky said proudly. "Does Mistress require anything else?"

Luxy shook her head, holding the steaming cup under her nose, inhaling the faint scent of peppermint, something Muggle use to calm stomachs and soothe stress. Trinky nodded, thoroughly satisfied with her work, and then left with another crack, without another word.

Adalia rushed up the steps and stopped in the middle of the doorway, seeing Luxy sitting calmly, sipping tea out of one of her mother's good china tea cups. She blinked, utterly confused. "Luxy? You okay? You weren't in class all afternoon. I thought you might've gotten hurt. But I saw you sleeping right before I went to dinner and..."

Luxy turned and smiled at her friend. "I guess I'm all right, Dal. A little tired, but all right. Is dinner over?"

Adalia shook her head and came to sit beside Luxy. "No. I just ate quickly so I could come and see if you were awake yet. What happened?"

"My father is in a Muggle hospital, in delicate condition," Luxy recited, trying to remember Dumbledore's words. "That's why I went to see Dumbledore this afternoon. He wanted to tell me about my father. I'll have to wait until the weekend to see him, I suppose. Or maybe he can write to me. I don't know. I guess we'll see."

"You're dad's going to be okay, Luxy. So he got sick. He's around animals all the time. He was bound to get sick eventually," Adalia said, trying her hand at comfort. "I just really hope they don't put this in the _Prophet_, since you're dad works at the Ministry and all."

Luxy laughed. "The only time my dad gets in the _Prophet_ is when he makes some advance in the knowledge of magical creatures."

"Regardless, I'm glad you're awake now," Adalia said decidedly. "However, your boyfriend is pacing the floor downstairs. Shall I send him up?"

"Which boyfriend?" Luxy asked, leaning back on her hand with a cheeky grin. Adalia scoffed. "All right. Tell him not to get his wand in a knot."

Adalia leaned over, gave her friend a quick hug and then descended the spiral staircase. Not a second later, the (self-proclaimed, mind you) Slytherin Prince himself came bounding up, looking to have taken the steps three or four at a time. Luxy set her tea cup down and braced herself as he pulled her into him tightly.

"What are you doing here?" Luxy muttered, leaning against his shoulder regardless. "You shouldn't be here. I was mean to you."

"I don't want to fight with you," he said gruffly, sounding like he wanted her to know he cared, but held back all the mushy feelings because of who he was.

Luxy tucked her arms around his waist and sighed, though she said nothing.

"So how's your father?" Draco asked, sitting her back down on her bed before taking a seat next to her.

Luxy didn't even want to know how hew knew. "Fragile, I suppose. Dumbledore said he was in some Muggle hospital, so he's probably in London right now." Luxy sighed and stared at her hands. "He's gotten sick before, Draco. Only once before, when I was younger. Ever heard the expression 'worried sick'? Well, I think that's what's going on now. He's worried, probably about my mother."

"Yeah, she was round the Manor quite a lot this summer," Draco agreed, looking away from her. "Your father must really love your mum."

"Yeah, he does love her."

Silence.

"So what's with that?"

She looked up at him in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"That," he said, motioning to the parchment laying on her night stand.

"Oh." Luxy stared at it for a moment. "It's from my father. He wrote me a lullaby when I was younger, and played it on that huge piano in our ballroom. You know the one?" Draco nodded. "It's enchanted as well. It only shows up when you start playing it."

Draco smirked. "That's really cheeky, Lux."

Luxy snorted. "Yeah, I suppose it is, isn't it?"

"So," Draco said and stood up. "I'm going to ask you a few questions, Lux, to make sure you're all right in the head."

"Draco, that is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard you suggest," Luxy told him, peering at him, wondering if _he_ was all right in the head.

"Humor me." Luxy sighed and then nodded. "All right, first question, what's your favorite class?"

Luxy crossed her arms, watching him pace. "Draco, you know my favorite class." He threw her a stern look and she rolled her eyes. "Fine, you big baby. It's Charms."

"Why don't you like Divination?"

"Bloody hell," Luxy muttered. "I don't like it because I think it's wrong for wizards, or anyone, really, to know the future."

"Greatest fear?"

Luxy hesitated for a moment. "Water."

"Where'd your name come from?"

"Luxuria, which was Latin for lust or extravagance. It's one of the seven deadly sins, and it got shortened to Luxy because my mother didn't like the idea that my name meant lust."

"Good. Your head seems fine," Draco decided and sat down beside her again.

"Thank you for your diagnosis, Healer Malfoy," Luxy said and then laughed.

Draco smirked. "I wasn't trying to see if you'd hit your head, you know. I was just trying to make you laugh. And it worked, of course."

Luxy stopped laughing and then looked at him. _Wow._ That was possibly the most kind thing he'd ever done in front of her.

"Stop gaping at me like a fish, Listin. Now let's go get dinner before I starve and all my good looks go to waste," Draco said and stood up.

Blinking, and shocked as hell, Luxy stood up and gave chase, since Draco was all ready down the stairs and out the portrait hole when she finally regained herself. Luxy smiled and hooked her arm through his again, the most comfortable thing in the world to do with him, it seemed. He smirked at her and she grinned.

He was just glad to see her smiling again.

They sat down at the Slytherin table and Luxy piled food on her plate. She'd skipped lunch and she was absolute starving. The Slytherins that were left sitting at the table stopped and stared, watching Luxy as she shoved food into her mouth, chewing three times it seemed, before swallowing. She didn't notice them staring, too hungry to care, but about halfway through, she looked up and saw at least ten pairs of eyes staring at her.

Luxy hadn't realized she was eating like an animal. Draco had his hand over his mouth, covering laughter, and Pansy Parkinson looked a cross between hideously satisfied to see Luxy acting unlike a lady, and thoroughly disgusted.

"Good to know you have manners, Listin," Pansy commented, looking a bit concerned since Draco had taken a seat next to Luxy instead of her.

Luxy placed a hand over her chest in mock delight. "I cannot believe you have taken time out of your busy schedule to notice something in little old me, Pansy. Wow. You truly are the most thoughtful girl at Hogwarts."

The boys around her snickered and Pansy looked as if she didn't know whether to thank Luxy or get angry. Luxy simply resumed shoving food in her mouth like nothing had happened. Draco was loving it, really. He loved that Luxy simply spoke however she wanted to, not caring about anything else. If it were anyone else, it would be misplaced, but it was Luxy, and it just seemed to fit.

Besides, Luxy was the only Slytherin that Pansy gave a hard time to. Every other girl, she left them be, sticking to making fun of the girls in the other Houses. Draco suspected it was being Luxy was a threat to whatever 'relationship' Pansy thought she and Draco had. Unknowingly to Pansy, Draco hadn't really been into Pansy at all. Ever. Not once. And that was even before he'd met Luxy.

Pansy was too much like Draco himself, perhaps even a little more ruthless, if it were possible. It would never work out between them. However, Draco was not unwilling to be followed after and doted on like Pansy did. He'd enjoy it while it lasted, since he knew that when Luxy agreed to be his girlfriend, she would do no such thing.

Dinner was over pretty quickly after Luxy and Draco arrived and everyone was headed back to the dorms for studying. Luxy walked beside Draco, watching carefully from the corner of her eye.

"So are you going to make rounds with Pansy now?" she asked him casually.

Draco actually looked slightly surprised. "I'm not a prefect anymore, Luxy. You knew that."

"Right, you're right," Luxy said, shaking her head, actually surprised that she'd forgotten.

Luxy spent the rest of the night working on her conjuring spells, trying to conjure a small piano that she could jinx to play her lullaby.

Draco didn't fall asleep until he heard the sounds of a tinkling piano.

* * *

_End Note: Happy December, friends! :) Anybody else see DH Part 1? Supermegafoxyawesomehot! I loved it. I cried the first time I saw it though... It was intense. Sorry I've been absent for this long. End of term always hits me freakishly hard. xD_

_If anyone's curious, I put the link to what I think the lullaby would be on my profile. Stories always play like movies in my head, so I figure that some actual, tangible music might help things?_

_I tried to get Luxy and Draco back on friend-only terms, but with that undercurrent that both of them are aware of. I think I did it pretty well. What do you think?_

_Love me with a review?_

_- skylight; 12.03.10_


	8. Chapter Eight

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

_**Sins of the Father; Part One**_

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

_The Malfoys prided themselves on being better than everyone, being affluent and having an in at the Ministry, and they taught their son their same values: money was everything. Status was everything. Anything not pure of blood was disgusting. Do not betray your bloodline, your family, or you will betray yourself, and no one will be on your side._

_Funnily enough, Luxy was taught these same values by her mother, while her father read her Muggle fairytales, taught her to play the piano, and taught her clever spells even though it was illegal. He took her to far away lands, allowing her to meet the exotic animals he was studying._

_She rode Hippogriffs, winged horses and unicorns. She exchanged riddles with a Sphinx once in her fourth year, which was a boatload of fun. She studied kelpies and water nymphs, and attempted to make friends with the Loch Ness Monster once, but it was none too pleasant._

_Some would say Luxy was a bit better off than Draco, since she had her father's care, but if you told Luxy that, she would likely say that it was Draco who had it better. At least Draco didn't get hit._

_XXXX_

Finally, it was time for something Luxy adored: Quidditch. Better yet, it was the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor, which was constantly a laugh. Luxy loved Quidditch matches, especially those between her House and Gryffindor, simply because the rivalry was so much so, that it kept her entertained.

Luxy smiled over her goblet of pumpkin juice as the Slytherins around her booed loudly each time a Gryffindor walked in – not just those on the team – but every student wearing gold and red got booed and hissed at. This is why Luxy enjoyed being in Slytherin; it meant you could be prats and gits and everyone expected it. Luxy was quite good at being a prat.

The enchanted sky above them swirled a clear sky, which was good. Slytherin didn't need luck this morning – they had all the talent anyways. Luxy was a little bothered by the fact that she'd not received word about her father's condition. She was swamped at school and had no time to ask if she may visit him in Muggle London.

She'd been playing the song her father sent her on her downsized piano anytime she could, not only because it was beautiful, but because it made her miss him less. There was no piano around, so she couldn't very well play it herself.

Luxy dearly missed her father. He told her that he didn't care what House she got into at Hogwarts, so long as she was happy. Her mother, on the other hand, demanded Slytherin and no less. The Sorting was probably the most terrifying moments of her life.

"_Listin, Luxy!" McGonagall called, holding her large scroll of parchment, standing before the rest of the wide-eyed first years._

_Luxy, however, was only nervous about not getting into Slytherin. She was a pureblood, therefore she knew exactly what was going to happen. She'd laughed when she saw some of the other students jump sightly when the hat was placed on them, probably not expecting the small voice in their ear._

_She sat squarely on the stool, taking one last look at the students around her before being submerged into darkness as the hat covered her eyes._

"_Ah, such knowledge! Just like your father, you know. Hmm. And some mischief and a rather large desire for adventure," the Hat murmured against her ear. "Very odd, indeed."_

I have to be in Slytherin,_ Luxy informed the Hat._

"_Like your mother, yes? Ah, but Ravenclaw would challenge your ache for knowledge and would keep you on your toes," the Hat reminded her. "But... I see your mind is made up. Very well. SLYTHERIN!"_

To this day, Luxy always wondered if the Sorting Hat was disappointed to not put her in Ravenclaw, not that it mattered much now. Luxy was a Slytherin, and that was that. Though Luxy almost wished he Hat had over ridden her and put her in Ravenclaw; that way, she could irk her mother and there was nothing the bitch could have done about it.

"We're definitely going to whip some Gryffindor tail at today's game, hey, Luxy?" Adalia said, drawing Luxy from her thoughts.

"That we are," Luxy agreed. "Hopefully everyone can keep their mouths shut, though. We tend to do worse when we talk smack."

"I'm not too keen on having Malfoy out, though. He at least is rather decent at Quidditch, regardless of his loud mouth, you know?" Adalia said, and then shook her head.

Luxy blinked and Adalia continued to prattle on as if she was still listening. "Wait a second; rewind. Malfoy is out?"

Adalia gave her an odd look. "I can't believe you didn't know. You two have been getting on so well lately, I figured he told you. Honestly, Luxy, you're quite scatter-brained and I- Luxy! Where are you going?"

But the last thing Luxy was doing was listening. She was incredibly irritated, and felt something like a bee when stepped on. She and Draco _had _been getting on quite swimmingly lately, which was much nicer than fighting with him all the time, because she needed to focus all her energy on school, but this had come as a surprise, and she wasn't too thrilled about surprises from dragons.

With an irritated shriek, Luxy nearly fell flat on her face as she stomped up the stairs, having forgotten momentarily about the vanishing step halfway up. She stepped across the divide, sending a glare towards the offending step.

"Go to hell, bloody stair," she muttered and continued on her way.

She reached the seventh floor when she noticed two incredibly small girls walking side by side towards where she stood. They both looked at Luxy at the exact same time, which was unnerving in and of itself, but the girls looked even too young to be first years. Without having any time to grill them, Draco Malfoy himself rounded the corner.

"Luxy!" he shouted, looking incredibly surprised and petrified. "What are you doing up here? We have Quidditch this morning."

Luxy folded her arms, hating herself for feeling obligated to care about him. "Oh, really, Malfoy? I had no idea. I must have been under the ludicrous assumption that we didn't," she said dramatically, rolling her eyes. "So, if we have Quidditch, why aren't you downstairs picking fun at the other Gryffindors with us?"

One of the girls giggled, but it sounded incredibly odd, and Luxy realized what was going on. She blinked and then nodded slowly, turning her irritated green eyes back to Draco's.

"Oh, I see. You're doing that secret thing again," she said slowly, her expression melting away until it showed him nothing but impassive bordering on uncaring. "Sorry to have bothered, then."

"Luxy, hold it," Draco said, as she turned to leave. He gripped her arm and tugged her in close, his mouth at her ear. "Come up to the Astronomy Tower tonight. We have to talk."

He let her go and, once again, Luxy gave him that same odd look that he got when he kissed her cheek the year previous. She wasn't angry, she wasn't disturbed, she wasn't anything. She just... looked at him.

"Fine," she said abruptly and turned to walk back down the stairs.

Usually, Quidditch was the most interesting thing in the world. But Luxy found she couldn't focus on the game, bothered by the fact that Draco wanted her alone. Well, that fact didn't quite bother her. But what did he want, that he couldn't talk to her normally about?

Thankfully for her, night mounted quickly and Luxy snuck out of the hole in the wall in the Slytherin dungeons and made her way up to the top of the Astronomy tower, tugging her coat on tighter since the night air was growing steadily more chilly as the days progressed. She leaned gratefully on the railing, holding onto her wand.

After hanging around there for a few minutes, she sat down and hung her legs over the edge, smiling up at the moon. She raised her wand and gave it a small flourish. "_Lunaris_," she murmured and a small, exact replica of the moon appeared before her, clouds and all.

It was a charm her father invented to help her with her Astronomy class when they were studying the moon and its phases, since she could never remember the order in which they occurred. Now, she just liked the charm, because playing with magic would never, ever get old.

"Hey, Luxy." Draco took the space next to her, tossing his legs over the edge beside hers, smiling at the small moon hovering nearby. "Conjuring moons?"

Luxy smiled. "My father created this charm to help me remember the phases of the moon for Astronomy. I just like it."

"Speaking of your father, Lux, how is he?"

"I suppose he's doing all right," Luxy said, and then sighed. "I'm to go and see him tomorrow, actually."

"That's great, Luxy. Really."

An odd silence fell between them, and Luxy couldn't help feeling as if there was a brick wall sitting in between them. She didn't like the wall. She wanted to knock it over. She supposed that was why Draco was here, sitting beside her now.

"You didn't come here to shoot the breeze with me, Draco Malfoy," Luxy said quietly, and Draco was thankful for the girls' lack of patience.

"I didn't," he agreed, and then sighed. "Luxy, I can't keep secrets from you anymore."

Luxy sighed. "Draco, you keep secrets from me all the time. I've grown used to it. There are parts of your life I'm not allowed in. Fine. I understand that."

"You don't mean that, Luxy Listin, and you know it," Draco said, and their eyes met. "It bothers you, but you won't fight it. You'd fight everyone else in this damn school about anything, but you won't fight me. Why is that?"

Luxy looked away, frowning. "Maybe because I care too much to fight with you more than I have to. Ever think of that, Draco?"

He hadn't, but he wasn't going to tell her that. "Why do you care, then?"

She shrugged slightly and returned her eyes to his. "I don't know."

Draco sighed. "Look, Luxy, I have to be honest with you. I don't care what anyone says; I'm telling you my mission."

Luxy blinked and then gave him a look that encouraged him to continue.

"You-Know-Who was incredibly angry when my father failed in the Department of Mysteries, and got sent to Azkaban," Draco began, frowning. "To punish my family, he decided to give me a mission he knew I would fail at, or get killed by. But I don't want to do this. I don't like it. It's really frightening."

Swallowing hard, Luxy couldn't bare the suspense "And your mission is?"

"I have to kill Dumbledore."

There it was. Out in the open. The small moon in front of Luxy crumbled into glitter and blew away on a zephyr of cold air. Draco peered over at Luxy, taking in her expressionless face, her green eyes staring straight ahead, not blinking once.

"Lux? Please say something," Draco said, getting worried that she might shove him over the edge of the tower.

Luxy looked at him slowly. "I forgive you."

Draco blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I forgive you," she repeated. "You don't want to do this, Draco. It's not your choice; you were forced into something you didn't chose. I can't be angry at you for that. So I forgive you."

"Oh." Draco paused, taking that in. "Thank you, Luxy."

She smiled at him and then set her head down on his shoulder, worming her hand inside his. She gave his hand a squeeze and he squeezed back.

"This doesn't change anything between us, you know," Luxy told him, after a few minutes of silence. "I'm still your friend. I don't think less of you."

"You forgive me too easily, you minx," Draco teased her.

Luxy smiled. "Yes, I do. But so do you."

That he did. He could never be angry with her for more than a few moments, though she annoyed him to no end. But annoyance and anger were two totally different feelings. Luxy Listin annoyed most everyone at some point. It was just the way she was.

"_Lunaris_," Luxy murmured, tapping her wand in the air again and another moon hovered before them.

Luxy lifted her head from Draco's shoulder and the moon burst into glitter again, but this time she caught in in her hand. With a wicked smile, Luxy turned to Draco, and his eyes widened when he realized what she was going to do.

"Listin, I swear to Merlin, if you put that on me-" he threatened and scrambled to his feet as she followed his steps like a predator.

"Why so jumpy, Malfoy?" she jeered and then sprung forward, slamming her hand on top of his head, the glitter going everywhere.

Draco swore slightly and then tackled her to the ground, forcing her to land away from the balcony so she wouldn't be in danger. Luxy squealed when he wrestled her to the ground and then glared up at him when he climbed atop her, holding a handful of snow he'd conjured.

"Draco Malfoy, don't you dare," she whispered, glaring at him, and then then snow was in her face.

She shrieked and pushed him off, wrestling with him again, conjured snow going back and forth between them until they both were thoroughly soaked through and laughing. It was a funny thing, hearing Draco laugh, because usually it was cold and cruel and followed after a taunt or a sneaky, under-handed git move. But when he was laughing – truly laughing – he was quite possibly the most charming creature Luxy had ever met.

With embarrassment, Luxy looked away before Draco could catch her giving him doe eyes.

"We should probably go back inside," Draco said, after a moment, and the two of them headed back into Hogwarts before The Baron came creaking up to the tower.

They stepped back into the hole in the wall and found Pansy waiting for them, looking incredibly irritated.

"Where have you two been? And why are you all wet?" she demanded, when she got a good look at them.

Luxy grinned at Draco. "G'night, Malfoy," she said, giving him a cheeky salute as she headed for the stairs that would take her to her dorm room.

"Wait a second. Draco, why is there glitter in your hair?"

* * *

_End Note: Ahh, the truth comes out. Finally, no? It was bound to happen eventually, and I like the way it played out._

_Not much to say, really, just... sorry it's been forever. xD__ I'm trying to get back into the actual timeline of events, so this takes place in chapter fourteen, and is around the beginning of November. Sorry again for mixing around the book on you guys to suit my story. :) Oh, and I hope you enjoyed the Sorting. I've been trying to work that scene in for quite some time, since it's one of my favorites. So far. ;)_

_Oh, and happy new year, my friends!_

_Love me with a review?_

_- sky; 1.12.11(!)_


	9. Chapter Nine

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators.

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

**Sins of the Father ; Part One**

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE**

_Dearest Luxy,_

_I was so excited to receive word that you are coming to visit me. I simply cannot wait to hear all about how well you are doing in school, as I know you are. Please remember to exchange some of your money for Muggle money and be mindful of your clothing. I eagerly await your arrival, my pet!_

_Love,_

_Your father_

XXXX

Luxy was positively humming with excitement as she shed her robes without a second thought, donning her Muggle clothing. Jeans were quite comfortable and stylish, Luxy had to admit, and she wished she could get away with wearing them more often. Robes sometimes made her feel like a school marm, and it was obnoxious.

Adalia sat atop Luxy's bed, watching her with a smile. "You look really good, Lux. These Muggles actually did something right. It's like they're obsessed with outlining your figure!"

Luxy turned to the mirror and grinned at herself. Dal was right, though. Muggles obviously were really into feminine curves, as they made clothing that hugged them tightly and showed them off. Seeing the way her body curved in such sensual ways, Luxy was almost sorry she didn't get to wear these sorts of clothes more often. She liked the way they made her feel.

She pulled on a pair of flats and tugged on her coat, which was shorter and more snug than her traveling cloak, and much nicer. The cloak always made her feel funny.

"You really do look like a Muggle, Luxy! It's amazing!" Dal approved and Luxy gave her a smile.

"Thanks," Luxy said, beaming slightly. "I'll tell you all about it when I get home. I wish I could take pictures."

Adalia shook her head. "Merlin, Luxy. You're there to see your father. I just want to know _everything_ about Muggle London when you get home!"

Luxy grinned. "I promise to tell you everything."

She shuffled from their room and down the spiral staircase into the common room, seeing Pansy and Draco draped across a couch together. Swallowing the instinctive urge to vomit, Luxy attempted to move around them when she noticed a large, almost oversized rose sitting boldly on a table nearby.

"Who's the flower for?" she asked them, giving them both a glance.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "For you, of course. Probably from your stupid father."

Luxy smiled at the thought and picked the rose up, seeing the card attached to the stem, looping letters spelling out her name. She opened it up and smiled again. Inside, it read:

_Three guesses as to who this is from, and the first two don't count._

"Probably from Dal, or my father," she said thoughtfully.

With a secret little grin, Luxy yanked the card from the stem of the flower, ripping the parchment into little pieces so no wandering eyes could view it. She set the rose back down on the table for safe-keeping.

"See you lot around," she said cheerfully and ducked out of the hole in the wall, a new hop in her step.

Portkeys, no matter how efficient they are, were not didn't enjoy the sensation of being squeezed through a rubber tube that was four times smaller than she was. It was like Apparating. You tried getting used to the feeling of being pulled in every direction imaginable, but you just couldn't. In summary, it was just awful.

However, it was the best Dumbledore could give her, since she was going to Muggle London. She was, once again, reminded of underage sorcery and the fact that The Trace was still set in place over her, though he trusted her father to see that she didn't perform any spells. She was tapped on the head and then sent on her way.

With a huff, Luxy landed face first on the dirty street, having not been ready apparently when she touched the apple that acted as her Portkey.

"You all right there, lovely?" a voice asked from above her head and Luxy sighed, pushing herself up onto her knees before taking the hand that was extended to her.

"Thank you," she said, peering up at the handsome boy who had stopped to help her up. A _Muggle boy_ had helped her up. "Just lost my footing for a tick, I guess. Don't worry."

"Perhaps, then, you should be more careful," he told her, keeping a hold of her hand.

"Darling! There you are! Goodness, I must keep you underfoot more!" Nathalie Listin made a show of being the overly concerned parent, pushing through the Muggles to hug her daughter tightly, forcing Luxy to let go of the Muggle boy's hand.

"Do not touch the Muggle filth again," she hissed in Luxy's ear, too quiet for anyone else to hear.

"Try to be more careful next time, hey?" the Muggle boy said to Luxy, skirting past mother and daughter, off on his way again.

With the Muggle gone, Nathalie's caring mother mask slipped off like a flobberworm in Potions class. She clamped a hand on Luxy's upper arm and quite nearly dragged her daughter along the busy street of London.

No one seemed to noticed this.

Once outside the hospital, Nathalie released Luxy and turned to face her. "I do not want you upsetting your father. If I find out that you've upset him, so help me, you stupid girl..." She let the threat hang and then knocked past Luxy, headed into an alleyway and Disapparated.

Luxy turned around, looked up at the old building and then sighed, shuffling towards it rather nervously. She stood in front of the large wooden doors, not sure why she was so apprehensive about this. She'd been roaming Hogwarts for five years now, and it was a castle. Why did this old building suddenly frighten her?

With a huff, Luxy pulled the door open and stepped inside, finding flocks of Muggles inside, most of them dressed in white coats. There was a Muggle woman behind a desk and on the wall behind her was a large sign that stated BETHLEM ROYAL HOSPITAL. Not knowing what this meant or if it should matter, Luxy walked purposefully up to the Muggle woman, smiling when the woman looked up.

"Hello," Luxy said nervously. "My father, Christopher Listin, is staying here. I'm his daughter Luxy."

The Muggle woman directed Luxy towards something called an 'elevator', told her to press the '3' button and ask a nurse on that floor which room he's in. Quite confused but grateful nonetheless, Luxy thanked the woman and went towards these elevators.

Luxy had never seen or been in a Muggle elevator. She knew she must have looked quite fitting in the hospital, because when the large metal doors opened to let her inside, she looked as if it would eat her alive.

However, she attempted to keep her pride about her and stepped inside with purpose, shuddering when she felt it bounce just slightly under her feet as the doors closed and it began its ascent.

After the third _ding_, the doors opened again and Luxy nearly flung herself out of the metal death trap, happy to be on solid flooring again. There were a few more Muggles hovering behind another large desk and Luxy decided that these must be the 'nurses' in which she was to speak to.

Luxy, once again, explained her situation and who she was to the Muggles. The directed her down the hallway and to the left. Room 437. Easy enough. Feeling like a long-tailed cat in a room of rocking chairs, Luxy shuffled in between the Muggles until she found her father's room. She breathed in and then pushed the door open.

"Father?" she asked nervously, seeing him sitting quietly in a chair by the window.

It was painful to see him, no matter how happy she was to see him alive. He was so thin and his fingers shook slightly as they rested in his lap. He looked over at her, and Luxy could see that there was no sparkle in his eye, his once-lively forest green eyes were now glassy and mint colored marbles.

"Ah, there you are, my pet," Christopher said, smiling fondly at his daughter. "Come sit with me for a spell."

Luxy walked slowly over to where her father was seated, sitting down on the starch-white bed. It was a curious thing, since the bed sunk under her weight. It wasn't comfortable at all. She noticed, however, a small brown bottle sitting quietly in a half-open bedside drawer. The starch white label on the bottle named it 'Laudanum.'

"Father, what is that bottle for? Did the Muggles give it to you for your affliction?" she asked, suddenly curious about the bottle.

He gave her a brittle smile and closed the drawer from her curious eyes. "You look quite lovely this afternoon, pet. How is Hogwarts?"

Luxy blinked. He was avoiding her questions on purpose. To protect her? She doubted it, and it made her angry to even think of that possibility. However, she couldn't be angry with him. He was in a very delicate condition, obviously, and she didn't want to upset him further.

"It's been fine, Father," Luxy said, sighing slightly, resolving to prattle on about her own affairs. "I've been studying for my O.W.L's of course, which take most of my time. But classes are simply marvelous, and I am to be top of my class, I just know it."

He patted her hand gently and his skin felt like leather. "Ah, there's my good girl. Always very bright you are, Luxy. Just like your mother."

At the mention of her, he teared up a little and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, dabbing his eyes. Luxy was dumbfounded. She felt useless to him.

"Well, I'm terribly happy to see you happy, my pet," he told her, clearly his throat slightly. Luxy could see in his eyes that he was sweeping those feelings under the rug in his mind, not wanting to think on them. It made her heart squeeze in pain. He was ignoring his own feelings.

With a confused frown, Luxy stood up. "I suppose I should be going then, Father. I must attend to my homework," she said, feeling quite out of herself.

"Of course you should, darling. I shan't keep you any longer than need be," Christopher told her and then grasped her hand again. "Do not worry too much about me, pet. I shall be right as rain in a few days, and then it shall be Christmastime and we will have nothing to worry about. I have a few surprises for you anyways."

Luxy nodded and then leaned down, pressing her lips to his cheek. "I cannot wait for them, Father. Write me soon."

With one last squeeze of his hand, she left the room and the hospital all together. Luxy felt wooden inside and very cold. She was glad she didn't have to Apparate out, simply because she knew she couldn't focus enough on her destination and there would have been serious consequences.

The Muggle London streets were still buzzing with excitement, people every which way. She wasn't repulsed by Muggles, simply curious by them. Regardless of her mother's abhorrence of them, Luxy found them fascinating.

In her second year, the DADA professor Remus Lupin had informed the class that eating chocolate helped after encountering a Dementor, because Muggles used chocolate as a pick-me-up after feeling horrible. Deciding to try out Professor Lupin's theory, Luxy found a confectioner's shop on the corner of a street she'd wandered down and stepped inside.

Being inside a Muggle confectionery was quite like being inside Honeydukes. It was much the same, with rows of candy and sweets lining the shelves. Rock candies, candy floss, and every imaginable color of gumball were stacked in plastic pillars and hung on the wall. Cakes, toffees, every kind of fudge, tarts and pastries were set up inside glass cases so wandering eyes to feast upon them.

And it smelled of sugar.

Luxy smiled slightly and walked around the little shop, much like she would have at Honeydukes, picking out mentally all the things her eyes found that looked absolutely delicious.

After buying herself a chocolate bar, Luxy shuffled back out of the shop and into a nearby alley, touching the apple in her pocket to let it whisk her away.

XXXX

After watching Luxy leave, Draco was bored. He excused himself and went to tinker with the Vanishing Cabinet for a bit, but that got boring because all he could think about was Luxy. Was she doing all right? How was her father? Did it hurt her to see him that way?

He decided, after a significant amount of time had passed, that he would roam around the grounds, hoping to catch her first, even before Flynn or Adalia could get to her. After all, he was her best friend (of sorts). Shouldn't he get first rights to talking to her?

However, upon reaching the courtyard, he found her sitting in between one of cut windows that looked out into the courtyard from the sides. She wasn't looking at him, rather, she was sitting with her hands between her knees and her head hung low on her shaking shoulders.

She was crying, Draco realized. Luxy Lorelai Listin was _crying_.

He debated whether or not to reveal himself to her, not knowing if she wanted to just be alone. Since she was a prideful bitch, he knew crying in front of him wasn't her ideal situation. But something inside him ached to comfort her, to be the one that made her feel better.

Rain was spitting from the sky, pelting her back but it was like she didn't even noticed. It wasn't chilly enough to snow, but it was chilly enough for the rain to be cold, not warm like in the summer. Gooseflesh was raised on the skin that was exposed to the air but she didn't move to cover herself up, just sat there and shook.

Draco knelt slowly before her, grasping her hand gently. "It's not your fault," he told her quietly, his voice as quiet as the spattering rain.

"Yes, I know," she said, in a faraway voice, her cheeks wet from tears and rain water. "But Father is a wizard. He should be able to conquer his demons. We are not Muggles. We are better."

"Some demons cannot be conquered by magic, Luxy," he said gently, lacing their fingers together. "Your father is a great man. He will rise above this, in time."

"It's all my damn mother's fault," Luxy said, suddenly very angry. She stood up and paced up and down, spewing vemon as she went. Draco took her place on the window ledge, watching as she ranted and raved.

"Luxy," he said, and she stopped going on like a lunatic to stare at him. "It is your mother's fault, but you cannot blame yourself as well. Own what you need to own, and the rest will sort itself out."

Her shoulders squared, her resolve in place. "Father had a rather odd bottle with him this afternoon," she said, after a moment. "The label said laudanum, but I'd never heard of such a thing. Perhaps it is a Muggle concoction?"

Draco nodded. "I've not heard of it, either."

"I have to investigate it. Perhaps it will give me some answers," Luxy said, staring distractedly at the damp stones under her feet before looking back at him. "Draco, come away from that window. You're getting as wet as I am now."

Deciding this might be the perfect time to get her to smile, Draco flashed her a devious smile and then slipped out of the window hole and into the courtyard. The rain was starting to get a little angry now, dumping water in spurts every so often.

"You're not the Prefect, Luxy. You can't tell me what to do," he informed her, grinning like a fox, walking backwards further into the yard.

"You're not a Prefect, either, Draco Malfoy!" she said, inching closer to the window as he backed up.

Giving up, she leapt through the window hole and into the soggy grass, her boots making a squishing sound as she crossed the grass towards him. However, the closer she got to him, the more he backed off.

Eyebrow raised, almost mockingly, she took a step toward him, laughing softly as he continued to back away. A predatory gleam shone in her eyes as she pursued him, answering his every backward step with a forward step of her own. Graceful as a huntress she advanced on him, stalking his retreat until his back hit the wall.

"Whatcha runnin' from, Malfoy?" Luxy asked coyly, following him to the other side of the yard until his back was pressed against the cold stone wall.

She placed her hands on either side of his shoulders and she peered at him through her odd, smoky green eyes. Her pretty, shining ringlets were not pulled straight, drenched from the rain water, as was his own hair. A rain drop dripped down the elegant slope of her nose onto her bottom lip and Draco fought very hard not to lean forward and remove it with his tongue.

Luxy watched as his eyes slid from hers, focusing on her mouth for a moment before he looked back up at her. She smiled slightly at him and bent forward as if to kiss him.

"Mr. Malfoy and Miss Listin! It is raining and you will catch your death if you do not come inside this instant!" McGonagall shouted from the landing of the door nearby.

Freezing - and realizing that in another breath or two her mouth would be on top of Draco's - Luxy jumped back, gathered her wits and then headed towards the door McGonagall was holding open for them without another word.

With an arrogant smirk and the knowledge that Luxy was about to kiss him, Draco Malfoy followed after her.

* * *

_End Note: Sooo. :) This is for Doppelganger13 who wondered when the romance was going to start: It's beginning... ;) and for NormallyAbnormallyMe68, who hopefully hasn't tossed her computer out a window waiting for me to update again, and has asked for some fluff as well. :) I blame all the cute songs I was listening to during the writing of this._

_I love all my reviewers. Your input makes me smile constantly. Raise your hands if the beginnings of fluff is starting to give you cavities and you're enjoying it. ;)_

_Love me with a review?_

_- sky; 02.21.11_


	10. Chapter Ten

_**Disclaimer: **_Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics are borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

_**Warning: **_This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

* * *

**Sins of the Father ; Part One**

* * *

_So take me and break me,  
And make me strong like you,  
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.  
It's only you, beautiful.  
Or I don't want anyone.  
If I can choose,  
It's only you._

* * *

**CHAPTER TEN**

"So... you kissed him."

"For the last time, Dal, we didn't kiss."

"But you were close to it."

"Yes."

"And you wanted to kiss him."

"...Maybe."

"But you didn't?"

"Indeed."

Adalia shook her head at her friend as they walked together down a corridor, towards the Transfiguration classroom. "You should have just kissed him, Luxy."

"And give the dragon some satisfaction?" Luxy gave Dal an incredulous look. "I think not."

"Well, Merlin forbid we give Malfoy some satisfaction," Dal said, rolling her eyes. "You both are so stubborn. You're perfect for one another."

Luxy blinked but took this comment in stride. "Problem with that is we're not allowed to be together, so says his aunt and my darling mother."

"Yes, because your mother has always stopped you before," Adalia said sarcastically. "We both know it's not about that. It's your pride."

With a sniff of offense, Luxy sat down at their desk in the Transfiguration room and pulled out her textbook and some parchment to take notes with. Adalia sighed and took the seat next to her friend.

"Luxy, I think we both know you fancy Draco. But sometimes you have to take a risk in order to do the things you want. You know that. You're a Slytherin," Adalia murmured. "I'm just telling you as a friend. I want you to be happy, and you're happiest when you're with the dragon. Period."

Smiling slightly, Luxy fished her quill from her bag. "You're right, Dal."

Luxy Listin lost herself in her lessons then, tossing herself whole-heartedly into them so that she wouldn't have to think on Adalia's very good point. So she fancied the dragon. Big deal. Pansy fancied him as well. Did Draco have different feelings for Luxy than he did for Pansy? It bothered her to think that she may have only been his friend, nothing else, while she harbored intensely deep emotions for the stupid boy.

During lunch, she hardly opened her mouth, giving hollow laughter but her eyes were dead. She was in deep thought, and she didn't even realize she wasn't being herself. Draco noticed, however, seeing how she pushed around her food with her fork, looking distracted. Had something happened in class that had upset her? He hadn't thought so, since she and Adalia had come into lunch laughing together. _What on Earth could she be thinking about?_

Abruptly, though, Luxy set her fork down and grabbed her bag. "I'm hanging lunch, guys. See you round," she said and then went for the door out of the Great Hall.

Without even thinking about it, Draco jumped up and went after her, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he worked to catch up to her.

"Hey, Lux, you all right?" Draco asked her, once he'd caught up to her steps.

Luxy blinked. "Are you actually inquiring as to my well-being?"

Draco slanted her a look and she returned it curiously. "Yes?"

"Oh." She seemed to accept this. "I'm fine. Thinking."

"Clearly," Draco muttered, and then rolled his eyes when she gave him a rather caustic look. "About what?"

"My father," Luxy said immediately, rolling her eyes when Draco snorted. "Why do you care? Have you come to poke fun at me, then?"

She stopped to face him and they squared each other up before he spoke again. "No, I haven't come to poke fun at you. I was simply asking if you were all right. Clearly, you are, since you're snapping at me like usual."

Luxy blinked and then gave him a grin. "You wouldn't like me if I was anything but who I am."

He returned her grin. "You're finally right about something, Listin."

Oddly, they both turned to see Harry Potter stalking towards them, nose in his beat up old Potions book. He hadn't seen them yet, having rounded the corner reading the book, and Luxy waited until he glanced up to make sure he wasn't about to run into a wall, and then he noticed them.

"So which one are you?" Harry addressed Luxy. "Crabbe or Goyle?"

Shocked, Luxy could only gape at him. Wasn't he supposed to be nice? Draco, however, was not amused, and he bristled the second a noise came out of Harry's mouth.

"Don't you _ever_ talk to Luxy that way, _Potter_," Draco spat, absently tugging Luxy closer to him. "Who taught you manners? That oaf gamekeeper?"

Harry bristled as well, his mouth opening to say something nasty in response, but Luxy pushed the two boys away from each other.

"Really?" she asked them. "You both are sixth years. Please start acting as such. Harry, I believe you were on your way, correct?"

Regardless of his anger towards Harry, Draco admired Luxy's level head in the situation. Why did she have to be so calming? What irritated him, however, was Harry's response to her.

"You're right, Luxy. I was," he agreed, and then took her hand. "I'm sorry for being rude. That was uncalled for of me, and I hope we can continue being friends."

Luxy smiled at him. "Of course, Harry. No hard feelings at all. Cheers."

He returned her smile, green eyes glittering. "Cheers." And then he was off.

Now it was Draco's turn to gape at her (or simply look on at her in shock, since Malfoys did not gape). "Still _friends_ with _Potter?_ When did you _start?_" he demanded.

Luxy gave him a ferocious smile. "Jealousy does not look good on you, Draco." With a little wiggle of her fingers in parting, she strolled off down the hallway, snickering when she had a large feeling that he was still standing there, wide-eyed, after her.

In an unfamiliar part of the castle, Luxy waited outside as a stream of Ravenclaw first years exited the classroom, chattering happily amongst themselves. With an inhale of courage, she stepped inside the room, finding Professor Burbage tidying papers at the front of the classroom.

Luxy drew another nervous breath and then shuffled deeper inside, watching as Professor Burbage looked up and noticed her. "Uhm. Hello, Professor. My name is Luxy Listin, and I was hoping you could enlighten me on a few things," Luxy began politely.

Professor Burbage was a kind looking witch, but she looked nervous as she peered at the Slytherin crest on her robes and then averted her gaze to Luxy's eyes. "Your father works for the Ministry. He wrote a lovely article in the _Prophet_ on encountering a Sphinx in Egypt over the summer, and how his clever daughter attempted to outwit the beast with her own riddles. I assume that daughter is you."

Luxy nodded, smiling again. "Yes, it is. I'm so glad you enjoyed his article," she said. "I actually nearly stumped the Sphinx with a riddle I made up."

"I'd love to hear it!" the Professor exclaimed.

"Okay, watch carefully," Luxy said, smiling, moving her wand in the air to write out her riddle: "22 was a racehorse, and 11 was 12. 2211 race, and 11112! How can this make sense?"

"Hmm." Professor Burbage looked stumped. "I have no idea."

Luxy smiled again. "Instead of reading it as twenty two, you must read it as two two, and eleven as one one. Therefore it will go as follows: 'two two was a racehorse, and one one was one too. Two two won one race, and one one won one too!'"

Professor Burbage clapped and Luxy bowed dramatically. "What a marvelous riddle, Miss Listin! Quite clever, indeed." She smiled again. "Now what is it you wished to ask me?"

Luxy nodded and stuck her wand back inside her boot. "I'm not sure if you know, Professor, but my father has taken ill in a Muggle hospital in London called Bethlem Royal Hospital."

"How dreadful!" Professor Burbage gasped, and then paused. "Did you say... _Bethlem Royal Hospital_?"

Luxy blinked and then nodded, taking in the Professor's horrified look. "Yes. What's wrong with that?"

"Miss Listin, that hospital treats patients that are... not right in the head," Professor Burbage said gingerly.

"You mean like an asylum?" Luxy demanded, frowning.

"Yes, in so many words," she agreed. "Why is he there?"

"I don't know," Luxy sighed. "But there was something curious he had in his bedside table. There was a small brown bottle with a label on it that said 'laudanum' and I wasn't too sure what that was so I thought–" Luxy broke off at the older woman's gasp. "What now?"

"Luxy, please have a seat," Professor Burbage said kindly and then leaned against the desk opposite the one Luxy had lowered herself into. "Luxy, are you familiar with firewhisky?"

Nodding, though confused, Luxy looked up at her. "It's something of an alcoholic beverage in the wizarding world."

"Correct. What your father had in his bedside table was something quite like firewhisky, only much more potent. Laudanum is an opiate, which means it can help those with troubled minds be at ease, since, when taken, it gives the drinker quite the pleasurable feelings. Bethlem is famous in the Muggle world for being an asylum that treats substance addiction."

Luxy frowned, peering down at her hands. "So this means my father is an addict?"

Professor Burbage reached down and took Luxy's hand gently. "Keep an eye on him. Don't let him use the laudanum as best you can. And, most importantly, do not blame yourself. Your father is a great wizard, yes, but he is also quite human, too. Please remember this."

Luxy nodded again, slowly. "Yes, I... I shall remember that."

"Good girl," she said kindly. "Now off you go."

Taking her dismissal happily, Luxy stood up and walked from the classroom without another glance, trying not to feel as troubled as she felt. It was easy to stuff down, of course, when she saw Draco heading down the staircases, towards the dungeons.

"Luxy! There you are!" he called and she waited at the bottom of the steps for him and then they descended the stairs together. "I was wondering if you could assist me with my Potions homework."

Luxy snorted. "You're quite the riot today, Malfoy. I almost believed you."

"I'm serious, Listin," he told her. "Unless you're too chicken, because I completely understand if you are. I _am _a sixth year, if you've forgotten."

She slanted him a cold look. "I'm not afraid of your sixth year homework, you prat. Have you asked Professor Snape for help yet? I'm sure he'd be tickled pink to help you out."

Something dark shrouded in Draco's eyes. "Professor Snape is in the way of my mission," he informed her. "I'm not asking for his assistance. I don't need it."

Luxy had the distinct feeling they were not talking about homework any longer, though she didn't make any comment on her suspicions. They reached the Potions classroom and Luxy shivered slightly, her breath coming out in cold puffs. The room was empty, and it seemed as if Slughorn wasn't even around, though Luxy figured he was probably trying to get in Harry Potter's good graces.

Draco held out his book and his parchment roll to her, grinning as she took it from him and sat down, intending to first understand what he was supposed to be doing, and then help him as much as she could. She felt him lean against the desk beside her, his arms folded, and she could feel his eyes burning a hole in the top of her skull.

"So do you fancy me?"

Luxy blinked. "Excuse you?" She looked up at him and found his mouth twisted into a devious little smirk.

"You heard me. Do you?"

She glared at him for a moment and then returned to his homework, her quill pausing over his parchment. "You didn't drag me down here to help with your homework, did you?"

"Clever, clever little kitten you are, Luxy," he told her, his voice dropping slightly and it made her skin prickle.

Luxy stood up abruptly, then, and glared at him. "You can't just do that to people, Malfoy. Trick them to get what you want. And, no, I _don't_ fancy you."

Draco smiled at her but it was filled with evil. "Oh, really? So if I were to, I don't know, _kiss_ you right now... you're telling me you'd feel nothing? You almost kissed me Saturday, if you've forgotten."

All glaring was gone now. Luxy was grappling with the fact that he was being very serious with her at the moment. He wasn't playing around, and that frightened and excited her. She took a step back, nervously. "I would feel less than nothing if you kissed me right now."

"I'm sure you would," he agreed smoothly. This time he was the aggressor, stalking her retreat until the back of her thighs hit the desk behind her. He leaned in close to her, slipping his hand between the folds of her robe, holding her hip. "But since we are in the Potions room and Snape always tells us to test things before we make assumptions. Shall we test that theory?"

Luxy felt her pulse jump, knowing she could push him away if she wanted, but she stayed right where she was, not breathing. Draco has quite the soft-looking mouth, despite the fact that he used it to manipulate people for his own gain. She lid her eyes to his and breathed out nervously as he bent down and kissed her.

She experienced a delicious sensation of pure, unbridled relief as their mouths finally touched. This had definitely been building up for a while now, since the second they met. His hands gripped her hips after a few moments, bored with simply kissing her innocently. He kissed her a little more aggressively now, his fingers moving to the buttons of her cardigan, pushing it and her robe down off her shoulders.

Tugging her crisp blouse from her skirt, his hands slipped up the delicious arch of her back, holding her to him as he parted her lips with his tongue, tasting her. She finally surrendered to him and moved her arms, folding them around his neck, leaning into him completely.

His hands moved down her back, fingers tracing down the knots in her spine, dragging along her skin lazily, savoring everything that was her. Closer and closer, until his fingers reached the waist of her skirt. He flatted his hand against her hip, moving it down over her leg, making her sigh into his mouth.

The only thing about doing something like this in a classroom where people can see is, well, that people can see. And by people...

_"Hah! What naughty little children have we got here?"_ Peeves cackled, making Luxy and Draco fly away from each other in shock. _"Such naughty children you are! STUDENTS IN THE POTIONS ROOM!"_

Draco pulled his wand out and aimed it at the little troublemaker. "Do not test me, you worthless imp. I'll get the Bloody Baron to show you a thing or two, and you know I will."

Peeves looked a bit nervous at the idea and then zoomed off, cackling to himself anyways. Satisfied, Draco turned back to see Luxy pulling her sweater and her robes back on, looking mussed and incredibly embarrassed.

"I think it's best if we tell nobody about what happened," Luxy said, not even looking at him. "Perhaps we can simply forget this. All in good fun, yes?"

"Luxy, what's the matter with you?" Draco moved back to her side, watching her fumble with the buttons of her sweater in her haste to get out of there. "I think I've made it clear I fancy you. What's wrong with that? You don't fancy me?"

She shook her head slightly and looked up at him. "That's not the issue at hand, Draco. We're not allowed to even be speaking to one another, let alone... kissing in the Potions room," she said, whispering the last part.

Draco frowned. "That's not why you're flustered."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I can't fancy you, Draco Malfoy. Period," Luxy said forcefully, pulling her robe back on over her small shoulders. She paused for a moment and then looked up at him. "Would you kiss me again?" she asked in a small voice.

He cupped the back of her neck and kissed her soundly once more, holding onto her for a moment before he pulled his mouth and his hand away from her. She touched her lips slightly, as if remembering a fine dream, and then hustled herself out of the Potions classroom and away from her incredibly insurmountable feelings towards a dragon.

* * *

_End Note: Sooo, this is up early. Why? Because most of it was written prior to the start of the story as a way for me to explore my characters. I've been waiting for the right time to shove in my kiss scene, and this chapter got it. I've never really thought that Luxy and Draco's first kiss would be anything but filled with lust like it was here. ;) Just sort of fit them, I thought._

_Oh, and now you know exactly what's wrong with Luxy's father. I wanted to explain that a bit as well. :)_

_Love me with a review?_

_- sky; 03.05.11_


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